The End Is Only The Beginning
by jomarch05
Summary: Post Chuck vs The Ring. What else can keep those two crazy kids apart? Read on to find out. Charah with a dose of Adventure, a dash of Romance and a pinch ok, more than a pinch of Angst. Now Complete with Epilogue!
1. Chuck vs Torture Exquisite and Otherwise

**A/N - I don't own Chuck and if I did, it would come back for eight seasons! I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine. This is my first foray into fanfic since Buffy so be gentle and please review. Its post Chuck vs the Ring and unabashedly Charah. **

**The End is only the Beginning**

**Story One - Chuck vs Torture, Exquisite and Otherwise**

**Tag – Somewhere in the Mojave Desert 1 km underground (6.42 pm, 28****th**** April 2009)**

Chuck strained against the ropes tying him to the chair, to no avail. All it got him was more rope burns and the jarring did not help the skull fracture he knew he had acquired when Eduards, the Ring henchmen hit him with the lead pipe sometime back. He just hoped the distraction he initiated back at the caves was enough for Sarah and Casey to escape and plan for his eventual rescue, just like old times. Let's face it, despite the new upgraded intersect, he still could not predict the type of Flashes he could receive. So, when he saw Eduards Krasts about to shoot Casey, the Latvian he began spouting while distracting, really did not give him the skills to disarm the bad guy, but at least it gave Sarah the opportunity to tackle Casey and roll behind the closing metal doors. He could still picture the horror on Sarah's face as the door descended and could see her scrambling to reinsert herself only to be pulled back by Casey before her legs were trapped. He thought he heard her frantically screaming his name and wanted to call out only to feel the pipe connect forcefully to the side of his head. He had woken up about five minutes ago tied to a chair in what was probably a holding room cum torture chamber. Chuck could see chains hanging from the walls and faded reddish stains on the floor. This was so not good but he had to have faith that Sarah was coming.

He only hoped she would get there before any bad things occurred. Chuck knew that he was brave but he also knew that bravery meant knowing your threshold and for Chuck Bartowski, his threshold for pain was low. The only time he knew he would ever be able to hold out (although he hoped that it would never ever get to that point) was if the choice was Sarah or him. He would endure anything for her. He had for the better part of two years anyway endured the exquisite torture of the fake but really real relationship. Loving her and knowing she could not or would not love him back had hurt. But the greatest hurt was seeing the light go out of her blue eyes when she realized he had flashed in the intersect room. He did not know then that his choice to reintersect himself would lead to Sarah again having to put duty before love. That the anguish he saw was because Sarah had acknowledged that with that flash, Chuck 's safety was again her top priority and not their happiness.

**The Castle, ****9 hours earlier, 28****th**** April 2009**

Chuck always knew that when Sarah made a choice, she stuck by it and did her utmost to excel and be the best. He saw that in the way she had taken on the mantle of his protector and even in the mundane cover job of serving yogurt she had to undertake. So he was no longer afraid that Sarah would not acknowledge her love for him. Chuck was oblivious to many things but he could tell that she was going to stay the minute she told him in no uncertain terms that she did not want to save the world. Bryce's confession that Sarah was not going to join him only solidified Chuck's view. The kicker of it all was that Chuck did not realize the extent of Sarah's love for him. It was not really his fault that he could not comprehend that she would sacrifice anything so that he could live. Hence, he had been so proud of his reading of Sarah that at the briefing that morning, when she told General Beckman that she totally (completely, madly) had feelings for Chuck and needed to admit it. All he could do was smile that silly lopsided smile that only graced his face when he was well and truly happy. He was so in the zone that her next words did not fully register until a full minute later.

"Due to my feelings for Chuck, I have come to realize that I have the skills you require to end this. What I am trying to say General, is that I have reviewed the mission specs and I will commit to act as the intersect decoy as planned. I understand I need to lay a trail in Zurich and will leave tomorrow night."

The double take he did would have done the stooges proud. The General had already acknowledged and approved Sarah's request and was not happy when Chuck cut in "Hey, Ho, Hi, Zurich, it…. I …what??? Sarah can't leave, not after.." He trailed off as Beckman raised her brow as she was wont to do.

"Mr. Bartowski, Agent Walker has volunteered for this not because she wants to but because she knows she has to. Chatter we have been intercepting since you uploaded the intersect show sleeper cells being activated with the main focus of finding both Bryce Larkin a newly created intersect cube. That cube which you uploaded and then handily destroyed. They are coming for you Mr. Bartowski even if they don't know who you are as yet. The number of cells we have tracked, that we know of, just hit 32. It's only a matter of time. Agent Walker's affiliation to Bryce and his death will be leaked out in order to draw any suspicion away from you. To give you time…"

Chuck took a deep breath and tried again. "If Bryce had uploaded the intersect, Sarah's role was not as a decoy, correct?" The General nodded and Chuck plowed on, "So what's different now? Why can't Sarah lead the intersect project with me? Why need a decoy?"

"Would you like to field that question Colonel Casey? You had had some choice comments but overall, you also approved the plan…?" Chuck's second double take, this time towards Casey was even more pronounced.

"Because Bryce (Chuck count not fathom how much disdain Casey could put into that one syllable name but apparently, it was a lot) was a trained spy who spent a better part of 5 years in the field and the new intersect was build to enable that prick (TM Casey smirk) to be his own one man army against the Bad guys. Its trigger is not only visual or auditory but also driven by action. With his enhanced skills and Walker as his backup, they were going to covertly hunt each and every terrorist cell out there. You are not Bryce, you may know Kung Fu but you not going to be able to pull the trigger and you know it" Casey stressed the last point by stabbing his index finger at Chuck's chest before continuing.

"I'm not saying you can't learn how to do that but am not really sure you want to…Walker here thinks otherwise and to buy you time (again with the index finger) , decided to volunteer as target practice in order for you to undergo some training so that you can live up to your decision. She's the only one who has both a connection to Bryce and an understanding of how the intersect works in order to fool anyone for an extended period. This plan is all kinds of stupid because it puts the target in constant danger and personally, I think its suicide (this little gem was directed at Sarah whose only acknowledgement was her clenched fists) but what do I know…"

Chuck was shaking his head when Sarah finally decided to speak. "Chuck, Chuck, listen to me. I have to do this. This is what Bryce died for and you need to be ready for yourself and for your family. Ellie, your dad, they all need you to be ready."

"Ready for what?" Chuck was almost shouting. He could not believe that not only was Sarah leaving him but she was going to be hunted by the Ring and what was left of Fulcrum, because she was going to pretend to be the intersect. "Can't we just leak that the intersect was destroyed, that its over…"

This time, it was the General who answered "But is not over, Mr. Bartowski. You chose to upload it and we will use it to hunt down the Ring. They will eventually know that its still out there and do everything in their power to get it. Your father.."

Chuck cut her off, "Leave my father out of it", " Not that Steven Bartowski could be brought back in anyway. He had really meant it when he told Chuck that he could not stay. Chuck knew that his dad had already paid too high a price and Chuck finally understood what his father had faced, the difficult choices he had to make culminating in his decision to leave his family. Bringing his father into this mess he had created was unacceptable. This time, he could not blame Bryce. He had made the decision and now it seemed like he had to face the consequences.

"We may do that if you cooperate but I can't speak for the Ring" The General trailed off letting the words and implied threat seep into Chuck's consciousness.

"So what then? You send one of your best operatives on a suicide mission? That's like Casey said, all kinds of stupid. Why not just put me in a bunker?"

"Chuck, no" Sarah needed to stop this before Chuck said another word. "I can do this, I need to do this, for you and…" She was not afraid to say it. She had just told a three star General that she, Sarah Walker was completely and totally in love with Chuck Bartowski (not in those words of course but for once, she was the one to admit it, out loud, no less). She wanted to tell Chuck that she was doing it for them so that they could eventually live the life he always wanted. "..and to make sure that you have a chance to come out of this alive" She should have said so many other things but she could not make a promise she may not be able to keep.

"At whose expense, Sarah?" Chuck had never really been angry at Sarah. Sure, he had been frustrated and definitely discouraged and upset in equal measure, during their time together. But this was different, he wanted to scream at her, to take her by her shoulders and shake as much sense into her as possible. In the end, he looked straight at her and through clenched teeth, spat out "You expect me to go about my life, my job knowing that you're out there risking your life in order to draw attention away from me. You expect me to remain quiet and go about my duty while you trade your life for mine?" The last part was punctuated with Chuck's fist pounding the table between them.

Sarah realized her mistake then. She had been so certain that hearing it this way would make Chuck understand that this was the only way she could almost (and in her mind, that was good enough odds) guarantee his safety. She could stay alive long enough for Casey to train Chuck and feed the CIA information to take out the Ring. But she really should have known that Chuck, sweet, lovable, honorable Chuck would not let her sacrifice herself. She had to change his mind and she knew that when he found out what she was just about to do, he would never forgive her.

"I promise you I will come back" It really wasn't one of those bald faced open lies. It was built on the smallest grain of truths as Sarah had bequeathed all her possessions and ashes to Chuck in the event of her death. She had not wanted to make him responsible for her ashes but in the end understood that he would need closure and just in case, she had made Casey promise that he would be the one to deliver it and also ensure Chuck understood that he had to move on. She really wanted to come back. She finally had something to come back to and for a small moment she really believed that she would and that belief imbued her statement with such conviction that Chuck's expression softened immediately.

The General sensing a shift immediately moved on to the next set of instructions. "Good, now on to you last mission before Agent Walker leaves. Through our interrogation of the agents that Mr. Bartowski immobilized last night, (She really could not hide the slight look of disbelief crossing her features but at least she had altogether stopped calling him the asset) we have some information of a cell in your back yard. Apparently it's an information transmission base. This should be a relatively standard op, seek and destroy all targets and shut down the transmitters. Location has been sent to your GPS. Mr. Bartowski should assist on this, strictly as an observer (and there it is, the new tune of stay in the car, Chuck) to see if any new skills can be triggered via surveillance "

"Copy that" Casey answered before switching off the screen. "I'm gonna …" Casey decided not to finish that sentence knowing that the two other people in the room only had eyes and ears for each other anyway. He really wanted to rib Chuck on his hissy fit in front of the General and also goad Sarah into one of her defensive excuses but deep down he knew well enough that he had to let this slide. Tomorrow night, Sarah was gone, maybe for good and both of them needed to come to terms with that in whatever time they had left. No time for anything else and besides, with Sarah occupied, he could scope out all the best guns for himself.

"Sarah", "Chuck". As usual, they started talking over each other. Chuck held up his hand and continued, knowing that he had to get the words out.

" I love you Sarah. I think you know that but it needs to be said, by me. And I think I understand what you're trying to do here but what I don't understand is that I think you love me enough to put you life on the line but not enough to stay?"

Sarah reached out and touched Chuck's cheek. She could feel the faint bristle forming at his jaw. All she really wanted to do right now was to take him back to her hotel but she had to talk first. To at least share some part of herself with him and give him some measure of closure just in case. She hated this part, never really got used to sharing her feelings. She never had need to growing up with her father. He would always call her Darlin' or Sweetheart and for her part, cooking, cleaning and taking part in whatever con was going on was proof enough of her love for him. With Bryce, it was mostly physical. As long as she kept up on the job and watched his back, off hours were spent just burning off excess energy. It wasn't to say that Bryce did not try to talk and get to know her but the little information she doled out was just enough to keep him at bay and to ensure that her heart was still protected. But all those measures didn't really work with Chuck. He had broken through years of CIA training and even the hard shell her father taught her to acquire. He had made it almost impossible to not want to share things with him. And the irony was that when she was finally ready to do that, she had to choose between his life and their happiness. That was what she needed to explain to him now, that although it was not a difficult choice, it was the right one.

"I know you think the decision I made is wrong but you're Chuck, you can do anything (she's echoing his words and all he wants to do is hold her and never let go) and you need to accept this because you know it's the only way I can live with myself. I am a great agent and I can do this and I may, no, I will come back to you because I'll be damned if I'm going to give you up" with that, she pulled him into a kiss and put as much of what she did not/could not say into it, to show just how much she loved him.

Although what Sarah was saying still did not make total sense (he agreed she was a great agent and that if she felt that she could save him, she would jump at the chance), but Chuck also knew that once she made up her mind, he would not have a shot at changing it. Sure, he would wear her down, but right now, he knew that saying anything else would just waste the precious time they had left. So he grabbed onto her jacket and swung her up. Her legs automatically curled around him as h carried her into the infirmary.

It was four hours later when they emerged, sated but not comforted by the passing of the time. Casey had busied himself in loading the Suburban with all kinds of weaponry and mapping out their entry and extraction points in great military detail. Walker and Bartowski seemed to have reached some kind of truce and by the sounds that emanated from the infirmary, had finally scratched that itch.

Suffice it to say that Casey needed to kill something and quickly. His partner was going on a suicide mission, he was going to be stuck with Captain Moron and his more idiotic brother in law Captain Awesome Moron and best yet, he knew that Chuck would be depressed for the better part of the time and to top it all off, should Walker end up dead (God forbid the chump who pulled the trigger), not only was it his job to deliver the news but he had to stay to ensure Chuck moved on (like that was ever going to happen). So because of the heroic Moron's, well heroism, Walker was off to play human target and his resume just added agony aunt to his job description. So all in all, Casey really needed to carry his big guns and shoot the crap out of something because Ilsa was still in Paris or Paraguay or the Philippines and he still needed to do something to blot of the heaviness he was carrying due to the loss of 3 of his team yesterday.

He had used some of the time to write the letters of condolences himself but what could he really say. I'm sorry for your loss, it was unfortunate that your son, husband, brother, father was standing between an evil shadow organization and information that we need to make the world a safer place for his family and all the other families out there. So he went with the template provided but could not help but add one last sentence, I promise you that I will ensure that he did not die in vain. Not much to read from that, but Casey knew what it meant. It meant that although he did not want to see Walker dead, he knew she would be better used out there drawing them out and taking them down while he worked with Chuck to improve the odds in their favor. He considered taking her place, had even asked her if she really understood the ramifications of her decision. Casey could not argue with logic though, his skill set was more along the line of breaking things and she was the one with the deep cover experience. He couldn't do covert and he did not have the patience to wait. Walker could and although he knew it was (definitely) killing her to leave, she would do it to ensure that Chuck, Ellie, Awesome hell even the hobbit Morgan and perv Jeff were protected. He had meant what he said to her when she asked about family that one time. They were working for a greater good and that was enough for him. He just hoped that the past four hours was enough to see her through the hell she was going to have to face.

"Now that the both of you got that out of your systems, listen up. Bartowski you're"

"Staying in the car, I was at the meeting you know"

"Wasn't sure if Walker screwed that piece of info out of you" Casey shot back and noticed that Sarah ducked her head trying to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Walker" Sarah's head shot up, mouth already forming a few choice words which she held off when Casey winked at her and immediately, he could see her features school back into cool agent mode.

Sarah was not really sure how Casey was going to react to what she and Chuck just did. Deep down, she knew that for all his blustering, Casey respected Chuck and wanted to see him survive this assignment. So sleeping with Chuck could either turn him into a wallowing mess of indecision or it would strengthen his resolve to do his job and let her do hers. She was banking on the latter and hoped Casey's read on the situation also pointed that way. To be perfectly honest (and wouldn't that be something for a change) Sarah did not do it because it was her job or because it made her leaving ok. She did it because it would sustain her for the next few years. She was selfish to want that, knowing that it could affect Chuck the wrong way but deep down, she really hoped that her heart (which was the biggest surprise in allowing her to feel and reciprocate in kind) had not failed her and the decision to follow it was the right one. So when she saw Casey wink, she held her tongue and waited for his next words.

"About damn time! (He could have been referring to them taking too much time but because of the wink, she figured that Casey approved and the smile she gave him was one of her finest) And just so you know, the Castle surveillance system suffered a disruption at 10 am. I think Jeff may have found another one of my small explosives! Anyway, we have to go in blind, audio in only with no audio out so that we don't announce our presence. Chuck, you staying in the car mean you are our eyes and ears."

"So I am the boss of you" Chuck small smile turned larger when he heard Casey's grunt at that retort. Chuck knew that the happiness he was feeling would be fleeting. That Team Bartowski was facing one last mission before disbanding. However, he finally realized that knowing Sarah loved him (like really loved him body and soul) was a great start and even if they could not be together just yet, it gave him impetus to move on, not only with his life (which let's face it was in a holding pattern long before she came) but also with their future. He needed to prepare for Sarah's homecoming. She was leaving but she had promised him she would come back.

**Back in the Mojave Desert 1 km underground (7.02 pm, 28****th**** April 2009)**

Chuck knew daydreaming about Sarah was the last thing he should be doing. Truth be told, leaving the Suburban was also on the list of things he should not have done. However, Casey's initial plan of him being their eyes and ears was all for naught when his mic signal cut out as soon as Sarah and Casey entered the compound. He had asked them to signal him but all he saw was Casey and Sarah crouched next to each other conversing in that spy military mix of hand signals and facial movements that always left him confused and in most cases just focusing on Sarah's eyes because of their expressive nature. Only after he saw Sarah turn toward him and shrug her shoulders while indicating to her earpiece did he realize that his audio signal was probably jammed and they were really going in blind.

After five minutes of reciting the mantra of "Stay in the car", Chuck gave up, exited the vehicle and slowly made his way to the hideout. He could hear faint voices coming from within the cave and stealthily, he crept nearer until someone literally swept him off his feet. His yelp was silence by the large palm placed across his mouth and only after seeing Sarah come into focus did he relax into the pull knowing that Casey was behind it.

"Guys, the mic's not working.."

The semi murderous look on Casey's face coupled with Sarah's arch eyebrow and exasperated sigh caused Chuck to quickly finish his sentence "..So I thought you could use the new Intersect up close and personal like" Now Sarah's blush lent new meaning to his words and Casey's reply grunt (number 94, "I am the only one that makes good double entendre quips, moron").

"I mean." Chuck tried to back pedal only to have Sarah's finger land on his mouth.

"Its ok Chuck, at least with you here, we know that you can't be grabbed from the car or go off by yourself leaving us a back in five minutes note" Sarah smiled, trying to temper her next words "But we still don't know what the new Intersect can do for you, its still too unknown a quantity to take risks so you have to stay hidden while Casey and I try and take out these guys, ok?"

So that's what Chuck ended up doing for the better part of forty five minutes, cowering behind a rock near the back of cave while Sarah and Casey did their job. He should have known that things don't always turn out according to plan, things in his life never did and what happened next was testament to this.

He had heard Casey's voice and was about to step out from his hiding place when he actually realized what Casey was saying

"Your team is dead, you can kill me but the minute you step out of here, you're a dead man too"

Chuck carefully peered over the rock to see Casey, hands held up, sporting a nasty cut under his left eye. He could feel the beginning of a Flash when Casey's captor came into view.

Red tint, cockatoo, the London eye, secret dossier with the word assassin highlighted, war crimes tribunal findings, cockatoo.

Chuck had expected the Flash to end then, but what happened next took him by surprise. He could see binary numbers in his minds eye and suddenly thousands of sounds echoing in his head such that a minute later, he knew for a fact that he could speak Livonian Lettish, the exact dialect spoken by one Eduards Krasts, freelance assassin and war criminal, now working for a corporation known as Orbis International. Unfortunately, Chuck also realized that the Kung Fu Flash from yesterday seemed to have been over-ridden and the only reminder of the ability remained in his memory banks but he was sure that the physical ability was not there anymore.

Eduards, with his gun trained on Casey moved towards the entrance where he began to enter a code in the electronic panel there and Chuck knew that he had to do something when Eduards once again trained his gun on Casey and cocked it. Two things happened almost simultaneously, Chuck jumping out of his hiding space shouting at Eduards in Latvian, to stand down as Sarah jumped towards Casey, her forward momentum pushing them towards the closing entrance. All of which brought him back to his present predicament.

The sound of the key turning in the lock made him sit up a bit more straight and Chuck could not hide the audible gulp as he exhaled. Eduards Krasts did not look like a kind man and the small billy club in his hands did not look good either.

"You are finally awake?"

Chuck did not realize the question was posed in Lettish until he answered back fluently, " I really wish I wasn't"

Eduards smiled at that, it had been a long time since he had spoken his native tongue and it brought back different memories from those that plagued him now. He knew he needed answers as to who this man and his companions were and he knew that he had to get them soon. His bosses were not patient people and this fellow countryman tied to the chair was all that was standing between his next assignment and his own potential termination. He needed to know why his teams of eleven agents were now down to two. Oskar was busy transmitting as much data to Zurich before setting off the timers and it was up to him to find out how they were compromised and then request for further instructions. They had lost visuals from the surface but their scanners indicated no explosives near by. The two other interlopers were trapped outside and he had just enough time to get the information he wanted. The transmitter in the room would feed information to Oskar and then to their masters in real-time.

"I will have to ask you questions that you will need to answer" and with that, Eduards swung the club, connecting with the side of Chuck's cheek.

The exploding pain was only mitigated by the surprise of the blow but in the end, Chuck felt every inch of the impact and could feel blood dripping out of the newly formed cut. "You.." taking a deep breath, "You didn't (breathe Bartowski) ask me anything" Chuck knew that this would get painful and all he could do was pray that Sarah and Casey would come soon.

"That was just to demonstrate that I have no patience. Your comrades are trapped outside a 3 inch thick steel door" Again the club swung, this time connecting with his torso before arcing upwards to hit his jaw. Chuck jerked in the chair (Sarah, where are you…).

"I get that, I really get...." another breath, this time he could feel the twinge from his ribs. Potential concussion, loose tooth and broken ribs he catalogued in his head, his eyes wary and focused on the club. "What…do ..you ..want to… know?"

**Mojave Desert, Cave entrance 7.02 pm**

"Almost through"

Sarah could not believe that Casey had packed the high grade acetylene torch. Not that she was complaining. Chuck was behind that door and she really needed to get to him. About half an hour has passed since she tackled Casey and looked on with growing horror as the lead pipe connected to the side of Chuck's head. She had wrested herself away from Casey and began hitting the door with her bare fists. She didn't even notice the pain until Casey had to forcibly restrain her. "Walker, suck it up and get your head back or Chuck will die. I have something in the car that we can use. I need you to disable the cameras so they won't know we're coming. Can you do that!"?

She wasn't sure if she could articulate anything so she just nodded. Casey had come back with the torch and got to work and all she had done was disable the cameras, arm herself with as much firepower as she could carry and review the loop in her head of Chuck getting hit and captured because she had not been vigilant enough to stop it. It was almost a relief when Casey burned through the door. She could make amends to Chuck, find him before anything else happened.

Casey had confirmed four kills and she had confirmed five on her end. Her sweep did not highlight anymore tangos although Casey could not be certain as he had been jumped before completing his sweep. The base was relatively basic with the main cave at the surface and 2 subterranean rooms. Sarah had cleared the holding area cum torture chamber (Casey had seen the way she flinched when she recounted what she thought the room was used for). Casey had done most of the main chamber but had been caught before he could accomplish his full sweep. Odds were that there was only one tango left. Since Sarah had already familiarized herself with the layout, she took point and swiftly made her way to the elevator shaft once again, knowing that it would take her to the room where Chuck was most likely being held. She could feel the adrenaline kick in and as she poised in front of the holding room door, she had to take a breath and steel herself knowing that whatever she found on the other side would change her forever.

Casey took her left flank and slowly signaled the countdown. He had always wondered what it would take to break Walker. As a betting man, he had lowered the odds after she survived the Jill debacle (twice!) and had almost brought them to even when Agent Forrest was dispatched to replace her. But right now, Casey knew that if she did not find what she was looking for on the other side of the door, Agent Sarah Walker would break. As he hit three, she charged at the door kicking it in before expertly targeting the two forms in the middle of the room. She discharged her weapon even before assessing the full scenario before her. All she had processed was Chuck's still form tied to a chair, his head hanging downwards, blood and saliva dripping from his chin. Two kill shots were discharged before she heard Casey's yell for her to get down.

Eduards had tried to prolong the interrogation just to hear his language but there was no need when the man in front of him was willing to tell him of the human intersect and how Bryce had with his dying breath told him of this location. His bosses would not be pleased with the knowledge that the Human Intersect was dead but it could solidify his position to be the first to retrieve Roark's Intersect. His team had been activated to provide support and transport for Team Alpha's mission and through this man, he had information not only of the death of Bryce but also of the failure of Team Alpha. Now all he needed was the location of the Intersect. The thought of where to place his next blow was the last thing to cross Eduards's mind, as at that exact moment, the door swung inwards with a bang and the last thing he saw as he looked up was a blonde woman, her featured etched with fury and felt a second later, the impact of her bullets.

"Sarah, get down"

She could not comply despite her years of training as getting to Chuck was her only mission. So she could not fully comprehend when she found herself on the ground, blood pouring from her thigh and only realized she had been shot when she turned to see Casey plow down her shooter.

"Sarah..?" Her head swiveled back to Chuck, needing the visual assurance that his voice was not only in her head. "You're.. hurt" The last bit almost cut off by a shudder that coursed through his body.

"So are you, but I think we'll survive" she smiled through her tears.

The next hour was a blur starting when Casey pushed her down and quickly field dressed her wound before freeing Chuck. She spent most of it then slowly assessing and dressing Chuck's various injuries. Casey wisely spent most of the time finishing up his sweep and destroying the data transmitters.

"I'm Sorry", "I'm Sorry"

"What are you sor...", "You don't have to .."

Talking over each other was always an issue and more so now as Sarah contemplated what she needed to say versus what she actually wanted to say. So unlike previous attempts where she had acquiesced and got her heart broken (cue the fountain) and then had to break his heart (cue the wedding), she pushed ahead.

"I have never said it"

Despite his facial injuries, she could still see the questioning look on his face.

"I love you" she blurted out. "I've never said it to anyone besides my mom". She was amazed that even with the black eye, cut cheek, and various other contusions and abrasions, his smile could not be dimmed. As if on cue though, she could see him coming back to himself and the panic in his eyes as he realized his mistake.

"Oh God, Sarah, I …I told him about Bryce. I had to… he would not stop hitting…"

"Shh, its ok., its ok" she crooned as she held him tighter and whispered in his ear "Its still part of the plan. I'm not sure if Casey has disabled all transmitting devices but you did good, Chuck. We can move forward with our decoy plan." She felt him tense at her words, knowing that he would. So when she pulled back, she was surprised that his expressive features did not reflect the hurt her words had caused but instead he was looking at her with so much love.

"We'll get through this" she whispered, not sure if he was for his benefit but definitely knowing that it was what she wanted more than anything else in the world, as she closed the gap between them.

**End Story One**


	2. Chuck vs The Phantom Pain

A/N - Thanks so much for the reviews. I hope Chapter 2 lives up to your expectations. Its a bit lighter on the Action/Adventure front but still has the requisite dose of Angst and Romance. I'm currently following a linear time line but because we are jumping ahead, I'm thinking of posting shorter interludes between the stories to fill in some of the gaps. Please review and tell me what works or doesn't or what you like so I could possibly incorporate more of it

**The End is Only The Beginning**

**Story 2 **

**Chuck vs the Phantom**** Pain**

**Bennigan's, Burbank (11.21pm, August 24th 2009)**

Chuck was trying to spin his gold ring on the bar counter but the three scotches he had thrown back was giving him double vision so he kept missing and it would roll wobbly along the bar until it hit Casey's glass.

"I think you've had enough"

Casey hated Mondays for a variety of reasons. Walker had left on a Monday and since then, Chuck had religiously spent each Monday downing as much alcohol as he could consume before stumbling off to bed. It wasn't as bad now as it was in the first five weeks when Chuck would drink until he passed out, mostly because Casey resorted to spiking his drinks when Chuck descended into using every available analogy to talk about Walker's leaving . The kid couldn't even refer to her by name or gender most times and just used stupid assed examples. Now, he'd just do two or three fingers before going home to sleep it off. Usually, all Casey had to do was sit there, nurse a drink of his own and ensure that Chuck made it home, either on his own two feet or via a fireman's carry. Tonight though, Casey sensed something more. It wasn't the usual she left on a Monday binge. He really did not have the patience to wait for Chuck to get to the point but knowing that Walker was out there counting on him to get Chuck through her leaving, he sighed and waited for Chuck to make his next move. He had hoped that Chuck would forgo tonight's drinking session, that even though the mission they had gone on earlier in the day did not go as planned, they still managed to take out one bad guy and when Chuck suggested a drink to celebrate, he couldn't say no. In all other aspects, Chuck was taking to his training relatively well. Casey pushed him hard but he rarely complained. He'd only get this way if a mission didn't always go as planned, if they didn't get all the bad guys. Casey figured Chuck felt guilty for not doing enough to reduce the number of people targeting Walker.

Chuck could hear the warning in Casey's words but as always, he did his best to ignore it and the scotch was definitely helping. "You..you know what I really miss about…about primetime television?" Chuck knew that he shouldn't bait Casey. Had seen the big guy tense when he uttered his first few words, knowing that Casey expected the talk to center around her. He was making progress at least. Working up to uttering her name, even if it would only be in his head. He needed a few more months though or twelve to get to that point. He prayed she'd come back way before that.

Casey's grunt, (number 26- Here we go again! The Sarah Walker name substitution game) was answer enough for Chuck.

"Nothing, I miss nothing about it….. isn't that funny? (the words said in the tone suggesting anything but fun) I mean one would think that not seeing tv everyday would make me miss it more but, no, I don't miss it at all…" Chuck really did not miss her, not in the sense of longing, all he felt was pain.

"I mean did you know (Chuck's swiveled his barstool to face Casey) Leno's going to be on primetime five days a week in the fall (if he was sober and not obliquely discussing her, he would have pointed out the many, many many stupid reasons why that was not the best idea in the history of television but…) and remembering what Leno's replacing would hurt too much (ok, analogy taken a bit too far there. Chuckie, old boy. Maybe you should just get another drink. This is looking like one of those passing out nights) so I, Charles Irving Bartowski, am making a conscious effort here not to miss anything. Maybe it won't hurt as much, you know" he trailed off and went back to twirling the ring on the counter.

Oh Christ! Casey had faced insurgents in Afghanistan, went into massive firefights with drug lords in the golden triangle. He had spent most of his adult life training for and encountering life threatening situations but this conversation was going to be a minefield. Any wrong word on his part could send Chuck back into his spiral of depression and set their mission back to the start. He should have stopped the drinks and hauled Chuck out of there the minute he noticed his mood. There was only one thing he could do at this point,

"I knew this guy, about your age, lieutenant in the marines when I met him"

Chuck looked up, surprised. Normally, Casey's default response to any remote mention of her, was to stay quiet, finish his drink, order 2 more and spike Chuck's. A detail Chuck only realized when his hangovers were non-existent, unlike his college binges, and the fact that he never had any dreams on those nights. He'd wake up in his room, fully clothed and feeling relatively human, but never fully rested.

"So, he takes point on this urban patrol. It's suppose to be routine, intel provided showed no enemy forces in the vicinity so everyone's pretty much relaxed." Casey pauses, this time not really to check up on Chuck, but to get his own head straight. Leaving out names and places doesn't really block out the stench of burning bodies or screams rending the night but that was what the scotch was for. Casey downed his drink, signaled for another and continued "The RPG came from one of the houses on the street, plowed right into the unit, most of the guys are gone, the lieutenant tries to save the three he thinks have a chance but in the end its only him and a wet behind the ears newbie from Annapolis left." (They told him he had done the right thing, had managed to jump behind some cover but he knew it was just plain stupid luck that separated him from death and that was his defining moment, he knew that he had to do more with his life because it kinda didn't belong to him anymore. The day of his discharge from the hospital, he volunteered for Special Ops). "So, the newbie's got frag wounds but nothing bad. Lieutenant, on the other hand, realizes his left leg is totally shot and probably needs to be amputated. "

"Was it?, amputated I mean" Chuck had stopped drinking, not because he wanted to but because he respected Casey enough to know when the big guy was trying to tell him something.

"Yeah, it was" Casey didn't want to get too lost in these thoughts, too many ghosts and he needed to make a point. "Losing a limb is never easy. You know what you're missing, what you had before but can't have now. It's disconcerting."

Chuck nods at the statement, Casey's example really getting too close to home.

"But what the lieutenant realized was that knowing what your missing and blocking that out does not stop the phantom pain that came with losing his leg. Actual physical pain.."

"So the pain never goes away no matter what I do to block it out?"

Casey thinks that the kid actually wants an answer, that he is beginning to grasp the situation here so he continues. "The lieutenant finally realizes that the at least he's alive to feel the damn pain and as much as it killed him to remember the time before, to remember what it was like to feel whole, at least he still had those memories. So Listen Up, Bartowski, you're feeling all kinds of bad and that comes with this job. But the point is when are you going to realize that Walker's probably feeling as bad as you are but at least she's doing her damn job and working though the pain. What does that say about you?"

"Sarah" Chuck says the name like its a benediction. It had been 115 days since she left and he had not said her name since, not in his head and definitely not out loud. Saying it now felt like a release. The pain was still there, would always be there and he could look at it negatively, making the assumption that it signified all that had gone wrong in his life, all that he had been forced to give up. Or, he could use it to remind himself that he was still here and that Sarah was out there fighting for him and although they were physically apart, they were together in his heart. "I think it's time we went home"

Casey nodded, dropped some bills on the bar and made his way out, Chuck closely following on his heels. But as soon as they hit the outside, he knew that Chuck had stopped and was looking up at the moon and would do so for another minute (he could guess as to the reason but it didn't matter as long as Chuck thought it did) before joining Casey in the Vic.

All in all, he wasn't surprised at Chuck's response in the bar. The kid, infuriating and stupid as he was, had never ever let them down, not when it mattered. Walker had always believed that and like Chuck's recent epiphany, Casey had taken a damn long time to finally fully accept that Chuck Bartowski, like his father, had served (and would continue to do so, if both Casey and Walker had any say) his country with honor.

**Vaduz, Liechtenstein, (11.32pm August 2****3****rd**** 2009) **

114 days had passed since she last saw him, though she thought about him constantly, especially at times like this. She was once again stuck in a safe house (more like low rent studio apartment with the basic necessities of bed and kitchenette) , having traversed through half of Europe before once again settling close but not too close to where they though the Ring's center of operations were (Bryce always liked Zurich). She had been living on the run since leaving California. Meeting up with old contacts and new, laying down a trail of sightings and Intersect cues for them (whoever they were) to find. She wasn't the first to do so. That honor belonged to Bryce, who had done it for eighteen months, he had gone deep, pretending to be the intersect, staying one step ahead , had kept Fulcrum away from Chuck and found out about the Ring. But Bryce was dead and now it was on her to carry on.

Sarah knew that she should read through the intel reports she had missed when she had the narrow escape in Bialystok. Those reports had saved her life a few times, providing enough direction for her next move. But she wanted to be selfish this one time, to just sit by the window, look out and focus on the moon, knowing that Chuck would at some point look at the same moon.

114 days was not a long time (eighteen months, Bryce did 543 days) but to her heart, it felt like eternity. She never felt ache like this before. Sure the bruises and gunshots were par for the course in the life of super secret agent, Sarah Walker but that kind of pain was always fleeting compared to what she had felt since she walked away from Chuck. The constant ache seemed to emanate from without as oppose to from within, like she was cocooned in it, surrounded by a specter. Once in Iran, she had met a child amputee who would not stop crying due to the pain coming from his amputated hand. The clinical diagnosis was phantom pain and in some cases, the prognosis was that it would lessen but never really go away. For her, it didn't seem to lessen and she could not numb such pain, not by drinking or pills especially not when her life depended on her being constantly vigilant. So she did the only thing she knew how to do, she used it to remind herself that she was still alive and that everyday she felt the pain was a day closer to being with Chuck again. She was still caught up in that belief that she only just registered the faint clicks of lock tumblers turning in the front door, before it swung open.

Sarah threw her knife knowing that it would not hit the intruder but embed itself in the doorframe, causing the intruder to look there instead of at her. That gave her just about enough time to grab her gun from the side table and train it on the new arrival.

"If that's the way you greet your friends…" his clipped British accent surprising her more than his words.

He could not believe that Felix was correct, that the blonde woman who had caused the fracas in Birmingham was Cole's Sarah (Felix's words, not his although it would have been nice if it was true). He had just returned from Namibia and Felix wasted no time in giving him the details of meeting a beautiful and deadly (confirmed kills from Birmingham was four) CIA operative who in passing, between taking out 2 guys with Uzis and tackling him to the ground, thus saving his life, had asked about Cole. Felix had gone on to tell him that she had hit number one on the "most wanted by the bad guys" list, something about her being an intersect. He had not waited for Felix to finish though, could still see the puzzlement in Felix's eyes when Cole had taken out his phone and dialed the Director asking for immediate release and started calling in all the favors he had outstanding. He even threatened to quit if his superiors did not agree to his assistance of one, Agent Sarah Walker while she was in Europe. Only out of professional courtesy as she had assisted him when he was across the pond. That was the official reason to General Beckman although when he saw her hesitate on the screen, he could not stop himself from stating that he needed to do this (his tone at once both pleading and intense). And so here he was.

"Cole?" Sarah had wondered if she would bump into him, although the SIS agent who helped her (not in the sense of actual help but at least he was enough of a distraction that she was able to take out the four mercenaries of that cell before they flew to the States) in the firefight in Birmingham 2 weeks ago said he wasn't in country.

"I was in the neighborhood" His smile had not changed but he could see that hers had vanished. "So word on high street is that the new intersect is female and very, very hot" Cole wanted to try and get a rise out of this new Agent Walker. It had been more than five months since he last saw her and she was still the most beautiful creature. But he'd been in the game too long to not recognize the signs. She was holding it all together (still so confident on the outside) but it was beginning to take its toll. Her eyes looked so wary and deep, her lips pressed together in a fine line.

"What do you want, Cole?" Sarah knew she did not have to train her gun on him, that apart from Casey and Bryce, he was the only other person that had proven his loyalty to Chuck. But she knew he could read her (Chuck never read her, he just wanted to accept who she was, flaws and all), that he would know that she was hurting (constantly). He had called it well when he talked to her about Fiji and taking timeout for herself, that she had spent too long looking out for Chuck that she forgot to look out for her own heart. A bit of a misinterpretation there though, as she was so focused on her job, it was too late to realize she'd lost her heart.

So she stood facing him, her gun sighted on the kill shot, and hopefully forcing him into a defensive position and get him to stop analyzing her. But Cole was too like her father (that was one of two reasons that had stopped her from saying yes to him. The other reason was that he just wasn't Chuck), both smooth talkers whose talent was reading people.

"Like I said, I was in the neighborhood, heard you were alone and may be in need of some help. Listen (his voice softened), if this is about Ch.."

"No!" the word shot out of her mouth before he could fully articulate the name. It's been only 114 days and she had to stay vigilant, no mention of him out loud, not because she wanted to forget but because she had to protect him at all costs.

"I've been doing fine so far and as you may have heard, I already do have some help" she tapped the side of her head with her free hand. She couldn't afford to let Cole in, as much as she needed to. She could do it alone had planned to anyway but she wanted so much to get back to Chuck and maybe additional firepower Cole could bring would shorten the time. She weighed her options in her head and knew that Cole (so like Chuck) would never, even under torture betray her but there were other ways to make people talk. In her heart, she knew Chuck would never but Cole still might. She had trusted him once, had allow him in on Chuck's secret but now, it was imperative that Cole really believed she was the intersect. The lie had to be believed in order to protect the greater truth.

"So, its true? You're the intersect?" Cole wanted to ask about Chuck, hoped that the kid was still alive at least. He did not want to think that somehow, something had happened to Chuck, that because of that, Sarah was now the most wanted target in the western hemisphere. The chatter he had picked up was that a human intersect had died but the name floating around was one of those prissy ones like Bruce or Bryce. "The only one?"

Sarah knew what he was really asking (the bigger the lie…) and had to frame her answer accordingly. "Yes, the only one. It was removed at first (she saw him nod at that,) but had to be downloaded into me (that's the surprise look she wanted). We couldn't use just any analyst (couldn't do it to Chuck again) . It had to be me (I left him)" She could see Cole processing the information, registering that Chuck was probably alive and that she had chosen to leave him.

"You're getting to be really popular in some circles…" Cole noticed that she did not flinch, nor moved from her position since he entered. Sarah Walker was on a mission and god help anyone who stood in her way (What happened, Sarah? Why are you and Chuck not together?).

"I know" she replied, finally lowering the gun and walking back towards the window. " So why are you here?"

"Call it professional courtesy (Come on Sweetheart, Beckman bought it, maybe you can to). I'm between assignments (actually cashed in all my personal days and then some) and thought you could use someone to watch your back, someone who knows the terrain. (You may have broken my heart, love, but I'm not going to sit back and see you get hunted or killed, not if I could help it)"

Cole hoped that she divined the greater meaning behind his words. He was definitely still attracted to her. He'd have to be blind and deaf, not to be but he also respected her and was definitely scared for her. He knew there was more to the story that they few words they had exchanged but for right now, he just wanted to ensure that he at least got the chance to help Sarah. "So where to next, darling?" he grinned and jumped onto the sagging bed, hands behind his head.

For the first time in 115 days (just past midnight now and one more day closer to Chuck) , Sarah grinned back at someone. Things were nowhere near normal and so remotely far from good (Good was residing somewhere in Burbank) but she had survived another day and if Cole really meant what he said, he would help her survive more. But first, she just wanted to make one thing clear,

"I'm sorry you didn't get the invite but I got married 115 days ago"

**The End**

Story Three is entitled Chuck vs The Breakfast Club, I'm planning to get it up by next Monday but its probably going to be longer than Story 2 so I may break it into 2 parts. Anyway, please feedback if you like way the story's going so far.....


	3. Chuck vs The Breakfast Club pt 1

Thanks for all the reviews. It nice to know that people are actually reading and enjoying the story. The next installment is pretty long so I'm posting the first part now. Its back to Action with a lot of Angst. Please review/feedback/provide discourse on grammar and punctuation...

**Story 3**** - Chuck vs The Breakfast Club**

**Part 1**

**Stuttgart, Germany, (3.31am October 24****st**** 2009) **

"Stop or I will shoot him" The thick accent of Carl Metzger did not hide the malice behind the words. He had his forearm wrapped snugly around Cole's throat, and his Heckler Koch pistol barrel jammed against Cole's head.

Sarah had been in a sprint towards the warehouse doors when she heard the shout. She immediately drop rolled, her left arm grasping her gun as she gracefully anchored her knee down and took aim at the two men. Cole's right arm was dangling at an angle and the gash on his forehead was bleeding copiously. He was still conscious though and she could see him looking intently at her. Carl was also looking at her, knowing that she did not have a shot as he expertly used Cole's body as a shield. She was cornered and knew that Cole's life depended on what she did next.

"Le him go, my people will be here in five minutes and if you leave now, you may have a chance in hell of actually getting out of here alive." It was well worth a shot, and she put as much conviction into her voice as she could, knowing that one wrong move could send a bullet into Cole's brain.

Carl (aka The Butcher of Berlin) had heard of this American agent. She was supposedly one of the best from the CIA who was now on the run because she had some sort of computer in her head. A computer that apparently was so important that numerous shady organizations, both government and freelance were after her. That was where he came in, he had no allegiance to anyone but himself and he was going to capture her and sell her to the highest bidder. She did sound very confident but Carl knew that her status had been redacted to unknown, which meant completely off the grid, probably disavowed. The stupid British agent was her only ally he had seen her with in the past sixteen hours of shadowing her. She was good in that she seemed to know he was on her tail and therefore had set up this trap for him. Unfortunately for her, he was better and it was relatively easy to take Barker by surprise and force the stand-off that they were currently in.

"No one's coming for you" He smiled, his gold capped front tooth prominently displayed. "And now you have to make a choice. I will kill him and take you anyway."

"How will I know you will let him live?" Sarah needed time to think of a plan.

"I only want you, I have no need for the British Secret Intelligent Service to take their revenge if I kill one of their own. You, on the other hand, are on your own and worth quite a bit if rumors are to be believed".

"Sarah, just shoot me and get this .." Cole shouted out, only to have his sentence abruptly cut off by the added pressure to his windpipe. It was his fault Sarah was trapped and he knew that her only way out was to shoot through him to get to Carl. He deserved that at least considering that his rookie mistake had led them to this point. He had thought that Sarah was being overly paranoid when she informed him that they were being tailed. But over the past three months, he had seen first hand what a brilliant agent she truly was so he took her word for it and decided to humor her when she shared her plan to set up a trap. Cole had been too cocky when he saw that there was indeed someone shadowing them but instead of a team that Sarah had thought, it was just one guy. So instead of waiting for Sarah to make her move, he decided to take him out knowing that the sooner he did it, the sooner they''d be able to get some rest. The Flashbang took him by surprise and before he knew it, he had been in a choke hold, fighting to stay conscious.

Sarah could see Carl press the muzzle harder into Cole's temple causing the agent to wince. She didn't have a clean shot and she knew that her bullets didn't have enough penetration strength to shoot through both Cole and Carl. For the second time in as many months, she was paralyzed with fear (although the first time, it was because of the question Chuck had asked and the fear was not all that bad). This time, though the fear was more overwhelming, all at once, she realized that when she laid down her gun, she would probably never see Chuck again and worse yet, not only had she not kept her promise to him but with her gone, he would once again be a target. She didn't want to give up though. Her father had taught her numerous lessons growing up, as did the CIA. One of them was that in order to win the war, sometimes you had to lose the battle. That when the small cons went badly, it was by design in order to regroup and make a play for the bigger pay-off. She had to think like that now. Carl had her pegged but he wouldn't kill her, not right away. She would have to rely on her skills to get away but those odds were better than betting on Cole's life right now. He had alluded to her worth and knew that he he thought she was the intersect, that his recourse would be to trade her to the Ring for as much money as he wanted. That alone was enough for her to take the chance that Carl would want her alive (and hopefully unhurt).

"Cole, tell him, everyday" Sarah knew that the British agent (if he survived this) would find Chuck and she needed to give him the answer to the question he had asked her that last day. Chuck didn't want her to answer then and she wanted him to know now, just in case.

"Sarah, don't" Cole tried to struggle but it was amazing that he was still breathing and all he could do was watch helplessly, as Sarah threw down her gun and put her hands on her head. The pressure on his throat increased and he found himself losing consciousness, his last thought of finding Casey (and avoiding Giving Chuck the message, even though he knew he would have to) so that the two of them could hunt the son of a bitch down and hopefully rescue Sarah.

Sarah saw Carl choke her partner, hoping that he was distracted as her right hand slipped out the throwing knife she had hidden in her sleeve. When Carl threw the British agent forward, Sarah expertly let the knife fly, hitting Carl's gun carrying hand and causing him to drop it. She was about to charge at him when to her dismay, Carl produced another gun and shot her point blank. She went crashing down, her shoulder on fire. She looked up from her prone position only to see his boot come crashing down on her already injured shoulder. The scream she let out was only silenced when his boot came crashing down again, this time to the side of her head. Her last thought as always was of Chuck.

Cole woke up half and hour later, to find Sarah gone. He noticed the bloodstains at the spot when she had been standing but was at least glad to see that the loss of blood did not seem too excessive, although he knew Chuck would not agree. He knew exactly what he needed to do next. Sarah had drilled it into him repeatedly. "If anything (she'd always ensured that she was looking him straight in the eye when she went over the instructions) happens to me, if I get…terminated (she could never say killed, as that would imply bad luck and Sarah Walker would not let anything such as bad luck stop her from returning to Chuck). You need to call Casey and tell him. He'll know what to do"

"And what do you think I would do?" he had asked, the first time they had the conversation.

"You go back to saving the world" she replied, partly in jest and partly because she was afraid that he would again try and confess something to her despite knowing that she loved someone else.

"Sarah" He had resisted adamantly when she asked him to call her Walker. "I can't do that" He knew that she didn't believe him when he first told her , back at the Castle , that she was the one. She probably thought he was more like Bryce (She never talked about Chuck,only Bryce) than anyone else. But Cole had meant every word. He had fallen for her, his attraction starting even when he thought she was an enemy agent and solidifying when she'd tried to stop him getting kidnapped the first time. He knew that she loved Chuck, even then and definitely more so now, considering she had downloaded the intersect into her own head and left him despite having married the poor guy. Sarah Walker was special and if she was ever killed, Cole would spend his last breath avenging her death despite any promises.

"Promise me, you'll call Casey and..(even now, she would never say Chuck's name out loud and Cole could see it was hurting her). Call Casey and don't take revenge, promise me." She'd grabbed his hand then, partly as a physical reinforcement of her words, partly because it was the only contact with him that she'd allow herself.

So he did, he promised that he would tell Casey and that he wouldn't take revenge (Its not revenge if it's the right thing to do, he decided). What he didn't promise her was not to contact Casey should she go missing. He was sure she wasn't dead. The intel they had gathered from their missions showed that Sarah's capture, alive, not dead was fetching upwards of fifteen million US dollars in fees. Cole was sure that they was Carl's only motivation. He wasn't part of any off-shoot Ring cell. He would need to keep Sarah alive to collect and that meant enough time for Cole to get her back, for Chuck (But if he was truthful, he was doing it for himself just as much). Cole took out his phone and dialed the number he had memorized. "Major Casey, we have a problem".

**The Castle (now underneath Dongles & Things), Burbank (7.22 pm, October 23****th****, 2009)**

Chuck was in the Castle pummeling the punching bag that Sarah had hung up last year. He needed the release. By all external viewpoints, he was doing great. He had a new career, married the girl of his dreams, who unfortunately had to look after her dying father for the past six months, but all in all, he was living the dream (as per Morgan's description). Inside though he was still a mess due to the continued lying to his sister and friends, not only about Sarah's disappearance but also about having to deal with the constant worry about her safety. Adding to that, he still couldn't control the physical flashes.

Chuck was beyond frustrated. He was making great progress with the physical training. The added muscle tone causing even Devon to complement his physique although he could have done without Jeff's caress that one, ok, two times, in the shop. (Chuck cringed at the memory).

Even the Flash Active Recall Management (FARM, TM Casey), was working really well. They had set up a system whereby Casey would give Chuck various reports gathered from the field agents and he would review them and wait to flash, which he normally did. Most of the flashes just highlighted next steps that the operatives should take and because of it, they had managed to shut down a number of the enemy cells that were targeting the intersect. It was one of the links he had to Sarah. He knew that every time he flashed and they took down another cell, it would mean one less group of hunters targeting her.

Sometimes though, his Flashes would activate a physical response. The only problem was that he still couldn't control the type of physical prowess that would materialize and that made him a liability (Casey's word, not his) in the field. The few times that Casey took him on a mission, he had acquired the ability to juggle (the hit man they were after was an ex-circus performer) which was thankfully replaced by Caipoera, the Brazilian martial arts (he thought he looked great but Casey wouldn't stop calling him Dancer boy for weeks). But even with the fighting skills, Casey was the one to save them both that day. Chuck's physical flashes were too unpredictable and because they still could not figure what the triggers were as well as how to manipulate them into providing a more consistent response to dangerous situations, Chuck was still more confined to working out and FARMing (TM Casey, again).

Chuck knew what he was doing was important, that somewhere in all that information he would comb through, some of it had probably come from Sarah. She was out there, alone, trying her best to survive and make her way back to him (he knew that in his heart). She couldn't really contact them (her choice, not his). But they had finally settled on a compromise. Sarah would post a message on Craigslist, a different forum each time with a specific code word. It took Castle's computers a day each time to comb through the site but he was always glad when he got her message (not much of one, normally just a sign off, love you..miss you…thinking of you..) as it was just to let him know that she was still out there protecting him. He just wished that he could see her again. He knew that Casey had trained him well, that although he would still choose not to pull the trigger, he was a decent marksman. Adding to that, his preference for tranq guns (and Casey's weird over-collection of them) allowed for another compromise. He would always be armed although, it would not be bullets in his guns. The only thing stopping the General from recalling Sarah was the fact that he was still not field certified and that despite their success rate, they still had not reached the inner circle of the Ring.

So Chuck spent all his time either working at Dongles & Things (that name was most definitely not the product of Casey's imagination) or training with Casey and the monotony of both was beginning to drive him crazy. The only reason why it had not was the fact that he knew he was doing it not for himself but for Sarah.

When the General suggested that Chuck still needed a cover job, he had vehemently protested going back to the Buy More. She had surprised him by agreeing and nearly had him falling off his chair when she suggested he become a Dongles & Things franchisee (trust the General to come up with that name). Apparently, Burbank was the ideal spot for a service base for the West Coast intelligence community. A place to get some electronic spy gadgets, drop off low level intel and check in while stateside. It was also the perfect cover for Chuck. Fulcrum had known of him and therefore the Ring would as well. Hiding in plain sight would be the best thing to do. So the CIA set up the new base and Charles Carmichael, low level analyst along with NSA handler John Casey fronted a computer shop which supplied small electronic bugs and gadgets to a variety of spies on the US government payroll. It was a good thing Jeff and Lester were so oblivious and that Morgan and Anna were still too caught up with each other otherwise they would have noticed the trend of highly attractive yet weird people always looking for John or Chuck and always collecting things on order or dropping off packages and never really buying in the store.

Ellie had been delighted that Chuck was opening his own shop and even more so when he told her that he didn't have to take a loan as their dad left them some money due to a recent court award he won against Roark Industries for copyright infringement (Chuck was beginning to learn that although the government doesn't always pay on time but when they do, it more than made up for the wait). All in all, Ellie got enough money to put down a deposit on a nice house and Chuck inherited the apartment along with Jeff, Lester, Anna and Morgan who worked the shifts he couldn't, which amounted to quite a few considering the training schedule Casey had put him on. Casey also worked with them although no one really know why he did (well no one except Chuck).

Chuck stopped hitting the bag, the strain in his arms highlighting the good workout he had accomplished. He had just enough time to catch a shower and get Castle's computers on mining for Sarah's next message. He heard Casey answering his phone as he walked down the stairs. If he played his cards right, he could get Casey to spring for a pizza. He had finished all the reports that morning. The flash on the Op in Stuttgart highlighted the need to move South East to Munich as current information available showed that Carl "The Butcher" Metzger was quite active in Stuttgart and would endanger the Op if he caught wind of it. Chuck shuddered at the thought. He had seen pictures of Carl's victims during the flash, they didn't call him the butcher for nothing. He was completely amoral, only working for the highest bidder and once he started on something, he wouldn't give up until he finished it. No, Chuck thought to himself, the agents in Stuttgart needed to get out of there quickly.

Chuck called out, "Casey,you want to…" only to stop as he heard Casey's next words.

"I'll be on the next flight out and Barker, be prepared".

"Cole, you were talking to Cole?" Chuck asked, a bit confused by Casey's demeanor. He didn't look pissed (well more pissed than usual) but Chuck could sense something was wrong.

"Casey, what's going on?" Chuck noticed that he did not head to the armory but instead made a bee line towards the back where the really dangerous weapons were kept. Whatever the call was about, Casey wasn't playing around. But it still didn't make sense to Chuck, why would Casey ask Cole to be prepared and why would he leave to join him. Casey had drilled into him repeatedly that his number one priority was Chuck's safety and that was only because he had promised Sarah.

Then it hit him, Sarah. Casey would leave him only if it involved Sarah.

Chuck ran full speed following the same path Casey had taken, only coming to a stop when he saw Casey look up from the black bag he was packing with blocks of C4.

"What do you want, Moron?" Casey wasn't expecting a call from Barker. He especially wasn't expecting a call from Barker concerning Walker. To make the unexpected call even more unsettling, he was most definitely not expecting Cole to ask for his help in rescuing Walker from whomever was stupid enough to kidnap her in the first place. He had to deal with Chuck though before the kid cotton on to what was going on.

"Listen, I know this is about Sarah" Chuck could see Casey shake his head but he wasn't buying it. "Casey, is she alive?" Chuck practically shouts that part out, needing an answer and dreading one in equal measure.

Casey's not sure how to answer that. Cole's still sure that she's alive and Casey's knows what a fighter Sarah is so he'd bet money on it as well. However, he also does not want to lie to Chuck. However, even before he can answer, he's surprised as Chuck barrels into him pushing him against the wall, one forearm across his throat while the other presses into his solar plexus. "Is she alive" Chuck screams into his face. All Casey can do is nod.

Only then does Chuck back off, breathing hard. He does not see the right hook come at him and hits the floor when it connects.

"Don't you ever do that again" Casey warns, knowing how close he came to pulling his gun and only at the last minute went for lashing out with his fist.

"Sorry" Chuck pants from his prone position, "When do we leave" he asks, knowing Casey's going to protest and the General would say no and realizing that he doesn't care. "I won't stay here knowing that she needs help. If you don't take me, I'll find a way to tell everyone that I'm the intersect. "

Casey knows that he means it. With Walker already taken, Chuck has nothing left to lose. So he nods again. "Her last known location was Stuttgart"

Chuck pales at the mention, "I think I know who's taken her" he says before fainting.

**End Part 1**

**Part 2 is is probably going to be longer. Thanks for reading.  
**


	4. Chuck vs The Breakfast Club pt 2

Ok, here's part 2 of Chuck vs The Breakfast Club. For those of you who are wondering about the title, its semi referenced about half way through. After this, I should be writing the interlude titled Chuck vs Something Old & Something New.

I still don't have a beta (so errors are on me) and also still don't own Chuck. So no changes there. Thanks for reading and leaving reviews/feedback/requests....It's really great to know that people are actually reading and (hopefully) enjoying the ride.

**Story 3**** - Chuck vs The Breakfast Club**

**Intro Part One - **So my name is Chuck and about six months ago, I uploaded an Intersect into my head. What's an Intersect you may ask? Well at this point, I'm not really sure. It started out as a mass of government secrets encoded into images downloaded into my brain but I got the upgraded version and now along with the secrets, I can also acquire random transient physical skills. Cool you say, yes, it would be if I could CONTROL THEM!!!"

**Part 2**

**SIS Safe house, ****Stuttgart, Germany, 1.02pm, 24****st**** October 2009**

Normally it takes about twelve hours to fly to Germany but due to Casey's pull in the air force and using various planes and carriers, they had arrived in record time.

Chuck hated every minute of the flight and the time he didn't spent throwing up in various containers, he spent driving himself crazy with worry as he remembered in fine detail what Carl Metzger would do to his captives. He still held it together though, not because of his training or skills but because he needed to work with both Cole and Casey to bring Sarah home. He also knew that if Metzger thought that Sarah was the intersect (Cole confirmed as much), that he would not harm her too much, knowing that she was worth more alive.

The two men were discussing where Metzger would have taken Sarah and had come up with about fifteen different locations ranging in distance from a few miles to a few hundred due to the time that had elapsed. Chuck knew that they couldn't go through the list, that Metzger was probably trying to set up a deal as quickly as possible. No, they had to draw him out, had to feed into what he wanted. So what did he want.

Cole had been surprised at the changes he saw in Chuck when the young man climbed out of the military jet. Despite the shell shock look and underlying fear, he carried himself with more confidence compared to the last time they had met. Cole knew that part of it probably came about due to Sarah and although he didn't think think that the better man won, he knew that that that was Sarah's choice. He watched Chuck now, as he paced a groove into the floor, seemingly lost in his own head.

"He wants the money, we have to give him the money" Chuck exclaimed, turning on his heels to face both Cole and Casey. He saw the understanding dawn in Cole's eyes and the question in Casey's.

"We know he's not working for any of the terrorist cells we've been monitoring. So he grabbed Sarah because he th..because he knows she's the intersect. He's trying to collect the reward. How much is it now, Casey?"

Cole noticed a few things, not the least being that the dynamic between the two men before him had shifted dramatically since their last meeting. Not only was Casey listening to Chuck but he was still being protective of him, his eyes sweeping the area and always on alert.

"Fifteen million, Twenty, doesn't matter, we don't have that kind of cash"

"We don't but Herr Metzger doesn't know that. We can dummy up something online like we did for Sheik Rashad. Then we just need to arrange for a meet, ask for proof of life and well, I'm assuming you and Cole can take care of the rest?" Chuck hoped it was enough, that they could indeed lure Carl to them with a simple con.

Cole was right in his assessment, Chuck had really changed, he just hoped it was enough to save Sarah. He wasn't sure if he should have told them of the blood he found and pass on Sarah's message. Initially he wasn't sure if Casey would come if he mentioned the blood so he didn't. He needed the Major (Colonel, he corrected himself) if he had any chance of rescuing Sarah and he wasn't sure if he would have come knowing that she was injured and could likely be dead. So he kept that fact to himself. When he saw Chuck, he wanted to give him the message but the lad looked spent and Cole wasn't sure if it would bring him any peace, so again he held off. He knew that Sarah would kick his arse if (when, dammit, when) she found out. He could live with that.

"So, gentlemen, I guess you need a computer"

**Militärakademie Bruchsal,**** Bruschal, Germany (1.47 pm 24****st**** Oct 2009)**

Sarah had been awake for the past hour but she did not know where she was or who was watching her so she kept her eyes closed and her breathing timed. She was chained down to an old cot. Her shoulder was still bleeding sluggishly although it had been carelessly dressed. The side of her head was the injury that worried her the most as she was out for more than a few hours and even now, she was still not thinking as clearly as she would have liked. She had been surreptitiously flexing her muscles in order to ensure that they did not tense up when she needed to use them and at the same time was also testing her bonds. As far as she could tell, she was pretty much immobile. Carl had been smart enough to remove her boots, which had a hidden switch blade. He didn't however remove her watch and if she could active the bezel, and release the small spring loaded blade there, she would be on her way to starting her escape.

"I know you are awake" The voice was coming from behind her.

Carl had been observing the agent for some time. She had great control, had timed her breathing to simulate that she was still unconscious while slowly flexing her major muscles. He would have like to have tested her more, to see if she was really as good and as strong as the stories he had heard about her. He needed her alive though if he wanted to collect the sixteen million American dollars he had been offered. At least the instructions did not specify that she would be unhurt.

Sarah finally saw Carl come into view. She was surprised when he began to undo the chain tying her down but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She curled her right fist and waited for an opportune time.

Carl was expecting her to swing her fist at him but once again, the woman surprised him and instead expertly flipped to her side, grabbed his head in scissor lock with her legs and threw him over the side of the cot. He landed on his back, the wind knock out of him. He could see her struggle to stay upright but doing it anyway as she staggered towards the door. She was truly a great challenge but he knew that he could stop this game at anytime. The small schoolhouse he had commandeered had only four rooms. All the windows had bars on them and both the entrance and exit were blocked with booby traps. She didn't know it yet but she had no where to go. He would enjoy the next hour.

Sarah knew that she hadn't incapacitated Carl but she also knew that in a closed proximity fight, she would eventually lose considering her injuries. Her best bet was to run, to try and make it out if the building. She frantically looked around, her eyes falling on a broom propped against the far wall, it wasn't a gun but it'd have to do. Sarah grabbed it, broke it across her knee and held the two pieces. She realized that Carl was not coming after her either, which meant that he had the place shut tight and he was probably playing with her. She had no choice, now. She had promised Chuck she would do everything in her power to make it back to him and she really tried in this case. But now, she only had one choice left, she had to go back and face Carl. He would be waiting for her and although she knew (hoped) that he did not want her dead, she most certainly wanted to kill him. Not because of what he had done but because she did not want him to ever find Chuck. Sarah took a deep breath, and walked back into the other room. She saw him sitting on the cot, his gun held carelessly in his lap. She saw his smile, never really reaching his eyes, his gold tooth blinking in and out (she really wanted to knock that out). She stood at the entrance, her hands holding the 2 sticks by her side.

"Let's get this over with" she said through gritted teeth. Her vision was beginning to blur and she really wasn't sure how long she would be able to stand upright but she wasn't going to give this piece of garbage the pleasure in seeing her go down. She saw him rise up, put the gun down on the cot and grab the chain that was used to bind her to the cot.

The fight lasted longer than either of them had expected. Sarah had done a couple of incredible feints and got in more than a few good shots, once even nearly choking Carl into unconsciousness as she held the stick tightly across his throat. He was a brawler though, using strength and not skill and had Sarah not been hurt, there was a good chance that she would have won the fight. Unfortunately, he kept going after her shoulder and soon had her laying on the ground curled up, trying her best to protect her head as he repeatedly kicked her viciously, only stopping when he heard the chirping from his disposable cellphone. Apparently, another bid had come in. He bent down, grabbed her wrist and handcuffed it to the cot, whistling as he made his way out of the room.

Sarah was losing consciousness and although it was probably a figment of her addled brain, she could have sworn she could hear Chuck's soothing voice in her head, telling her to hold on, to just be ok.

**SIS Safe house, ****Stuttgart, Germany, 2.22pm, 24****st**** October 2009**

Chuck had worked furiously on the computer, ensuring that the secured site closely resembled that of a small reputable financial institution. The Flash of Metzger, had provided him with a contact number as well, it was not a recent one but it seemed to be active and as he pressed the send button, he sent up a prayer to as many deities as he could recollect (Please, please let this work, just hold on, Sarah, please be ok).

Cole hated waiting, he was a man of action, he needed to do more than sit around waiting for a madman to call back. However, he really didn't have the right to demand anything. It was his fault that Sarah had been captured. He had been surprised that Chuck hadn't railed at him when he recounted what had taken place in the warehouse. Casey could not get the look of disdain every time he looked in Cole's direction but Chuck just ignored him and went to work. He began to walk towards Chuck when he felt Casey's hand press down on his fractured forearm which was held snug in a makeshift sling.

"Don't" Casey's voice was soft but the underlying message was clear. He tried to shake Casey's hand off, only to feel the Colonel grab at his shirt and hauled him close "He's barely hanging by a thread and I would strongly advise you to not say another word. You don't get to apologize to him for her capture, you don't get to feel absolution at his expense, got it!"

"Casey, don't", Chuck had been surprised to learn that Cole had been helping Sarah for the past three months. At first, he could not stop the wave of jealousy that swept over him only to just as quickly acknowledge the shame in thinking only of his feelings. She had been on the run, alone, and he should have been relieved that she had found an ally. Adding to that, he could never doubt how much she loved him, not after everything they had gone through. To doubt that, would be to negate their entire relationship and that was never going to happen. "She's going to need all of us" He knew without a doubt that Sarah was still alive and when he found her, he was never going to let her go. He just needed to find her first and he hoped that Carl Metzger was greedy enough to be lured by the twenty five million dollar offer he had put on Sarah's head.

"He's not worth it anyway" Casey let his hands drop. He could hardly believe that less than a year ago, he had considered Cole Barker the epitome of the Spy World and right now, Chuck's actions and words showed what a better operative he was in comparison. Times certainly had changed and Casey had to admit that part of the change was due to Walker's doing. She had finally admitted her feelings for the kid and had stopped the passive aggressive emotional play that was tearing them apart. The only issue now was what would happen if they could not save her. Casey was a soldier first and lived by that code. That meant always being faithful and keeping one's promise. He knew that he had promised her that he would look out for Chuck, should she not make it. He just didn't know if that was actually feasible short of locking him in a padded cell for the rest of his life. God he hoped that things really worked out today. He could not afford anymore ghosts at his back.

The ringing phone startled all three of them. Chuck's expression a cross between hope and fear, his hand hovering but not quite touching the phone. Only Casey's grunt (number 62"Get it together, Moron") finally spurring him into action.

"Do you have the package?" his deep voice not betraying the underlying fear he felt. He nodded at the answer, "We will only deal if proof of life is evidenced, in person". He hoped that he wasn't pushing this, could see both Casey and Cole staring intently at him. Again he nodded, "The money is currently in escrow at the Banco De Republic to be delivered to a Herr Carl Metzger once our transaction is complete. Yes, yes we do know who you are." Chuck paled at the next words heard, his legs nearly giving out and only Cole and John grabbing his arms stopped him from tumbling to the ground. It took every ounce of his will to actually answer the monster who was on the other end of the line "We would prefer alive and unhurt but understand that accidents do happen Herr Metzger. After you have viewed the bank website, we will await for the address where we shall meet. Good Bye."

He had to take a few deep breaths before relaying the conversation to Casey,"She's alive". He saw Cole exhale at his statement and Casey's slow nod, both still silent as they knew that there was more.

"He had to hur.." He couldn't get it out and felt the gorge rise in his throat as he bent over and threw up. He slowly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and knew that if he could not even get through relaying a simple phone conversation, he wasn't remotely ready for the field. "She's hurt but he wouldn't say how badly so we probably need to expect the worse and prepare for a med evac. I'll do the drop and Cole, you and Casey need to do recon and find her. He's not going to bring her with him, not if she's hurt as she'd slow him down so he'll have her stashed somewhere close. You'll give me the signal when you've found her and I'll finish it."

"Signal for what, Bartowski?" Casey did not want it to turn out this way. Walker would have his hide if he let Chuck pull the trigger not in defense but in retaliation. She had always championed the fact the Chuck could be a great spy but only on his terms, he wouldn't make it otherwise. He didn't deserve to have blood on his hands, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. "I'll make the drop" before Chuck could protest, Casey used his trump card "She'd only go with you, if she saw Cole and I, she'd know you'd be out there somewhere putting your stupid ass on the line and she would refuse to come with us until we went to protect your stupid ass" He could see Chuck waver and went in for the kill. "You need to man up and go get your wife, Bartowski"

The phone in Chuck's hand beeped signaling a message and he scrolled only to find a single name "Militärakademie Bruchsal".

"That's on our list. It's an abandoned school in a suburb about fifty miles away. We can be there in half an hour " Cole started to efficiently pack the guns and explosives that Casey had brought, the wait was finally over.

**Militärakademie Bruchsal,**** Bruschal, Germany (2.50pm 24****st**** Oct 2009)**

Casey parks two blocks down and kills the engine. "Ready to go to school?"

Chuck semi-laughs at that, even more so when he actually realizes that it's a Saturday and that there would be five people in that school. He had made her watch it when she had asked what his high school experience was like (even then knowing he doesn't get the girl). He knows he's the nerd and Carl's the criminal here, he just wonders who the Princess is. He definitely knows Sarah's going to protest when he tells her the story. That she would ascribe the Jock persona to Casey and take on the mantle of the Basketcase (leave the lying to me, she had said with a wink) and she would definitely call Cole the Princess.

They had driven pass the school and it was a good choice from Metzger's perspective. The entrance and exit both seemed locked tight. The windows were either too small or had 2 inch bars across them. The only way in was through the roof. It was decided that Chuck and Cole would get to the roof from the adjacent building about 12 feet away, it was a big leap but still doable. Casey was suppose to meet Carl in fifteen minutes which gave them enough time to find Sarah and get out of there. Cole had already arranged for a medivac chopper to land about twenty minutes away. Now all they had to do was execute.

Cole lived for the missions, it was the only time he felt really alive. Casey and to a degree, Sarah were cut from the same cloth, they could distance themselves emotionally from what had to be done. Chuck, on the other hand. was different. He was here to rescue his wife and therefore this wasn't just another mission to him. The success or(god forbid) failure of it would change him forever. They had made it to the roof without much trouble. Chuck's running start and leap took him clear pass the edge of the adjacent building and his forward roll broke his fall perfectly. Cole executed the same jump ten seconds later. Now they just had to wait for Casey. In the meantime, Chuck set up his portable thermal imaging infra red camera as Cole anchored their rappelling ropes. The needed to isolate Sarah's position.

Casey answered the phone on the first ring "I'll be there in five", as he gunned the engine and drove towards the abandoned school. He could see Carl standing in the doorway, holding some kind of trigger in his hand.

Casey's German was rusty but it was good enough to distract Metzger from not recognizing his voice "I thought this was a friendly exchange?" Casey said as he stepped out of the car, carrying a briefcase.

Carl was surprised that the man, who was clearly American, was speaking to him in German. The phone call and bank site link showed that they were indeed willing to pay a higher price than his first offer and knowing that such high sums of money would certainly make him a target as well, he was glad to close the deal so quickly. However, he was still a cautious man and had rigged the entire back of the building with explosives. The trigger in his hand was linked to the central switch that was currently attached to the body of one Sarah Walker. If he wanted to, he could activate it himself or if by some chance, the woman was being moved, well she would only get five feet before it activated."I have not indicated otherwise, I'm just a cautious man. Shall we begin?"

Cole had started to cut through the spot Chuck had indicated, the minute Casey got out of his car. Soon, they could see the room below bathed in shadows, a prone figure on the floor arm stretched out and cuffed to the cot. Both Chuck and Cole rappelled downwards, Chuck running towards Sarah as soon as he could unhooked his rope. She looked like she was asleep but he could see that her breaths were labored, "Sarah, sweetheart, wake up" He gently gathered her in his arms as Cole picked the lock of the handcuffs. She moaned and to Chuck, it was the most beautiful sound in the world or at least the second most beautiful as he heard her murmur his name "Ch..Chuck?"

Sarah had floated in and out of consciousness since the fight with Metzger. She remembered dreaming about Chuck and then his face morphed into Metzger's as he roughly attached something around her waist. She knew she was back to hallucinating again as she could hear Chuck's voice. But it didn't sound right. Instead of the soothing tone with a hint of a smile she had been hearing, this was a more urgent one, laced with fear. He sounded so close, her head hurt and she tried to open her eyes.

"That's it, you have to wake up, we need to get out of here" Chuck had never felt like this, the dichotomy of feelings both fighting for his attention;relief at finding Sarah alive and the burning anger felt at the pit of his stomach as he visually cataloged Sarah's injuries. He had told Casey he didn't think he would ever feel like killing someone. Even when Mauser threatened Ellie, he just wanted him put away. Right now, he wasn't sure if he would not pull the trigger if Metzger stood before him.

Cole who had been monitoring the conversation outside while trying to give Chuck some privacy suddenly turned around knelt beside them and lifted Sarah's shirt.

"What is that?" Chuck asked.

"It's a wireless switch. Carl's rigged up the building and if we remove that, it'll blow. I think if we move it more than a few feet, it'll blow up as well."

"So what do we do?" Chuck asked, panic seeping back into his voice.

"You…you get …the hell out ….of …here right …now" Sarah put as much command into her voice as she could. She couldn't believe that not only was Cole here but Chuck was as well. She prayed she was dreaming, that this was just all in her head and that Chuck Bartowski wasn't cradling her in a godforsaken abandoned building rigged to explode at any second. She tried to sit up, only cry out in pain as the broken ribs pressed into her side due to the secured electronic belt Carl had put on her earlier. Still, she grabbed the front of his shirt, needing to hold some part of him.

"Sarah, don't" Chuck did not want to panic, he had been training for months, had endured lonely nights and nightmares of Sarah dying. Now he was here, in the field, Sarah's life depending on him. He needed to Flash, he really needed to step up and be that guy. Be the hero she kept talking about. The one she married, the guy she risked her life for everyday. He needed to do it for Sarah and suddenly, the familiar sensation washed over him, the binary numbers scrolling before his eyes then Schematics, Fermat's theorem, Heads on Easter island, an old German Luger, a microchip, Heads on Easter island.

"Guys, I know what to do" Chuck announced confidently, the Flash, a bit more intense than normal but providing him the clarity and skill he needed, as he took out his small tool kit and went to work on the switch.

Cole, not really understanding what had happened but knowing that the place could blow up with one wrong move, tried to stop Chuck only to have Sarah's words stop him "Cole…it's ok, let…him do this…"She was really fighting to say awake, each breath hurt but she wanted to look at Chuck, not because she couldn't remember what he looked like but because she was afraid that if she closed her eyes, he would disappear. But the past twenty four hours had really taken its toll and Sarah's grip on Chuck's shirt loosen as her eyes shut on their own volition and she slipped back into unconsciousness.

"You flashed" It wasn't a question Cole was posing. He had seen a similar reaction in Sarah during their time together. She had told him that they were the Flashes that provided them with information on what to do next. Information that had saved their lives on occasion. "She said she was the only one, you bastard" Cole was livid. Chuck still had the ability to flash and yet it was Sarah that they hung out to dry. She was the one being targeted, hunted and forced to be on the run. If Chuck didn't have his hands on the switch, Cole would have decked him right there.

Chuck understood Cole's anger but now was not the time and even if he wanted to, he couldn't explain to Cole that it was never his choice to let her go and that she loved him too much to stay. Sarah had passed out and her breathing seemed so much more labored, they had to get her to the chopper soon. His Flash had not only given him the schematics for the switch but it also gave him the skills to dismantle it. Disarming it was impossible once it was set, but dismantling it in a certain order would diffuse it all the same. He finally removed the last connector ring and knew that the switch was dead. "You can remove the belt now".

Cole cut through the belt and waited until Chuck placed Sarah gently back onto the cot before turning back towards the man and letting his free hand fly at Chuck's face.

Chuck knew he should have just stood there and taken the punch. Cole at least deserved that and so did he. But they were still in the middle of a mission so he deftly side-stepped, used Cole's momentum to push him forward and then jerked him back into a choke hold like Casey taught him. "Now I do deserve that and I'll give you a free pass once we are free and clear, but right now, Sarah needs to get to that chopper and I'm going to get her there with or without you. Do you understand?"

"Yes" Cole at least sounded contrite if not still angry. Chuck gently put the harness on Sarah and clipped himself onto the rope. With the mechanized pulley Cole had rigged, the managed to make their way back onto the roof and then rappelled down north face of the building, Cole then informing Casey that they had Sarah and would meet him back at the extraction point.

Carl was beginning to get nervous, the American had said all the right things but it just did not feel right. He had capitulated too easily, not as anxious as he sounded over the phone. Then he noticed it, the man was wearing a earwig, it was the way he would cock his head every two minutes or so. Just a small tell but a noticeable one if you were looking. Carl needed to end it now, the man and his accomplices were planning something. He could still come out of this ahead. The money was being held in the bank that they had shown him, the password in the briefcase. All he had to do was take down the American and blow up the building. Carl stepped out of the building and smiled at the man. He expected to see a look of surprise but instead saw the American smiling back.

Finally, Casey was going to have some fun. He had held his temper in check as he dealt with Metzger while listening in on Chuck and Cole. Had heard Chuck's gasp as they found Sarah. Hearing her faint voice was the only thing stopping him from reaching out to choking Metzger as he recounted having to subdue her. He saw Metzger walking towards him, his smile prominently showing his gold tooth. Casey smiled back and swung his briefcase in an arc, catching him straight in the mouth, blood and the tooth flying out. Metzger fell to the ground, one hand covering his head, the other frantically pressing down on the trigger, hoping that it would stop the man before him. The lack of explosion, took him by surprise and he scrambled backwards, his hand now reaching for his gun.

Casey didn't want to waste too much time, so he went after Metzger with a tackle, grabbed his gun and shot him through his hand, the next shot going through his left foot. Metzger's chirping phone the only thing stopping him from his next shot. Its not like him to stop halfway through a job but he looks at the message on the phone and is glad he does. Although he wants very much to finish this, he knows now they needed Metzger alive, so he stops, bundles him into the car and drives to the airport.

**Military A330 Jet, ****Somewhere over the North Atlantic Ocean, 6.10am , 25****th**** October 2009**

"She finally asleep?" Casey had hoped she would be, had not wanted to face her wrath knowing how much it would take out of her and that she really needed her strength. He knows she's going to ream him out about bringing Chuck along and putting him in danger but the kid proved himself. Not only that, but he had managed to force flash. Perhaps they had gone about this the wrong way, that as much as Sarah needed Chuck alive and safe, he needed her to focus and flash.

Chuck does not look up and just nods at the question, his hand grasped firmly in hers as he sits by the makeshift bed.

"She finally let them give her a sedative after I promised I wouldn't move from this spot" Sarah's injuries although not life threatening, still scared him. He had never seen her so hurt in his life. The fights she had encountered back in California and the injuries she received were mild compared to what she had to endure in Germany. When Casey brought Carl Metzger, alive, to the airport, he had nearly lost it. He remembers Sarah holding on to him, not firmly but the gentle pressure, the only thing stopping him from attacking Metzger right there. Casey had handed him off to Cole then and made his way over. He tells Chuck to trust him and that he may have found a way to bring the fight to the Ring, once and for all.

"You sure, your plan's going to work?" he asked, finally looking up at Casey.

"It'd better, we're going to bet both your lives on it" Casey answers.

**The End**

**So how was it???  
**


	5. Chuck vs Something Old & Something New

**A/N** - Thanks all for the reviews. The next part is the promised Interlude and some of you have already guessed what's it going to be about. Tell me if I've done it justice.

Anyway, what I really like about Chuck is the strong cast of characters both major and minor (like Skip Johnson and Fernando). If I ever have the inclination, I'd love to do a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Homage starring Skip and Fernando. Since I don't think I'll have the time, I just decided to also include a cameo from Skip because wouldn't you like to know what he's really thinking (no?, maybe just me then). So enjoy the story and please feedback!!

I still don't own Chuck but do own S1 DVDs and S2 is on order and I have always loved the "Save you Later" line and wished it was mine!

**Chuck vs Something Old & Something New**

**Interlude 1**

**The Castle, 1.03am, 29th April 2009**

Sarah hissed through her teeth, her left hand in a vise grip with Chuck's, her fingernails digging into his skin. Trust Chuck not to flinch at that pain but instead flinching every time she's let out a sound like she's hurting.

"If you took the sedative like you were supposed to, you wouldn't move as much and I could get this done sooner (the grunt at the end emphasizing that its not fun for him either)" Casey is not a doctor and therefore does not have to have a bedside manner but even he knows how much getting shot really hurts and that Sarah's better off unconscious as he cleans the surface wound and dresses it . At least it didn't penetrate too deep and warrant a hospital stay although the additional time would have been a welcome to the the two people before him. As far as he can tell, the worse it'll leave is a scar, no muscle or tendon damage and it went clean through. Though, he's not sure of the damage to both their psyche in seeing each other hurt. Not his problem though, they're adults and need to work it out for themselves. He on the other hand, needs to go home, put on some Neil and decompress with his twenty year old scotch.

Chuck's not sure he can remember what not being in pain feels like but he's sure Sarah's feeling worse even though, she'll never admit it. Casey looked like he did a decent job and he would know considering he stays with two doctors. He'd just wish Sarah would let her guard down for once and take the sedative, he really does not like to see her in pain. Even at the base, she was the one who took care of him, cleaning his cuts and dressing his wounds. She had also insisted that Casey check out his head wound before attending to her when they got back to Castle. Only after the x-rays showed no fractures, did she allow Casey to work on her. He wants to reciprocate the care now, and hopes she accepts.

Sarah knows she's hurting Chuck (both physically and probably emotionally) and eases up on her grip. He's not the type to complain though. She doesn't want the sedative because she wants to spend as much time with him as possible, she needs to do that despite acknowledging that it would make it so much more difficult for her to leave. She figures she can do one thing for him though, she can at least share that much.

"I'm fine, really (she stresses the word). Besides, you make the pain go away (she smiles when she sees that he does) and I want to spend as much time with you." She doesn't add, before I leave but she can read him and she can see he knows that its implied when his smile loses some of its luster.

"As you wish." Chuck knows that she's going to leave, that it's the same old story of boy meets girl, they fall in love and then adding the new twist of girl having to leave on a super secret mission in order to save the world and protect the boy. If he had any inclination, he'd write a script and sell the rights except that it's probably classified and no one would believe him anyway. "Ellie and Awesome are on their honeymoon so we have the apartment to ourselves." He saw her blush and immediately thought he had assume too much "I mean, to rest or sleep or.." his words finally stilled by her finger on his mouth.

"We'll have to stop by the hotel for my things" She knows that it's only temporary but its not everyday that your pseudo cover, totally real boyfriend asks you to move in with him and she wants to savor it, to know for a short while, what it feels like to be normal. His smile tells her once again that she's said the right thing. His visual cues a great help in her navigating normalcy. She wants this to last but knows that it can't because he's still the Intersect and she's the only one who can protect him by going away. So she'll accept the small amount of time they have left and ensure that they'll make memories that will carry them through the upcoming days apart.

**Ellie & Awesome's Apartment, Silverlake California (2am, 29th April ,2009)  
**  
Chuck unlocks the door and makes way for Sarah, who by all accounts seemed to have packed up her entire room into two small suitcases. He doesn't question knowing that she probably does not intend to go back there (knowing that she'll leave him eventually with her physical possessions and the memories). She looks as spent as he feels and although he does not want to waste anymore time, he knows they need some sleep. He's just not sure what she wants. "Do you.." he hesitates, not really knowing what to say at this point.

Sarah's more of a doer anyway as she wraps her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace, trying not to apply too much pressure on his ribs but really needing the proximity. "Just hold me" she whispers.

"Always." He can stand there for as long as she needs as long as she's wrapped around him, no longer separated by fear or duty. He knows that with her, he can do anything, that she's the reason he's alive both physically and emotionally. He cannot imagine losing her no matter for how short a time although knowing he'd wait for eternity if need be as long as she'd come back. He wants to do more though, to anchor her to him. He understands her strong sense of duty and finally understands that whatever she does not say, she still manages to show him in some way. Be it the tears in her eyes when she thought he was blown up in the Herder, to not being able to take the shot or not listening to John when he told her to duck just so she could get to him. Now it's his turn to show her. He's constraint by time but knows that its what he needs. He really hopes though that it is something she wants as well.

Sarah can feel the tension drain out of her and it hits her that she's being selfish, that he's physically more hurt than she is so she extricates herself (already feeling the acute sense of loss), takes his hand then and leads him to his room. They change in silence and he let's her choose the side she wants. As he slides in next to her, he knows she's crying and trying to hide it in the darkness and turning away. He pulls her back gently, the length of his body curving perfectly into hers. He wants to offer comfort and hope she accepts. He's amazed she'd share this part of herself with him and realizes that as much as he's remained the same Chuck Bartowski, she's changed into his Sarah Walker. He closes his eyes when he feels her guide his arm around her waist.

Sarah's not sure why she's crying. To be fair, she knows that it's a perfectly valid way to relieve stress and it'd be an understatement to say that the past week had been one of the most stressful times of her entire life and her life had its share of challenges including thinking Bryce was dead the first time, seeing her father arrested when she was seventeen, not to mention the missions in Pakistan. The point here was that for the first time in forever, Sarah Walker felt like she was home and it hurt so much more when you finally know what you're missing than if you've never experienced it at all. She pulls his forearm down across her waist and finally drifts off.

He wakes before she does, not sure if it's the vestiges of a dream that compels him to open his eyes and check if she's still in his arms but that's what he does. She's still on her side, his arm now on her thigh. He can feel the bandage covering her wound beneath his palm. He wonders how many more scars she'll receive until he sees her again and he prays there will be none. He never wants her to ever mark the passing of the time by that measure and knows that there is something he can do to ensure that they'll measure it together, if she says yes.

She can't really tell how she knows when he's looking at her. Initially, she'd put it down to her spy training; always know when you're being watched. But Chuck's got this habit of looking at her even when he's miles away in his head. Like the visual stimuli of her adds to the whatever he's thinking about. She always hoped that he'd be thinking about her but knows the limited knowledge he has about her (the real her) wouldn't allow for much introspection. But perhaps she can change that. Her code of secrecy, initially maintained to protect her cover and then to protect her heart, no longer applies. She wants to tell him everything (not the missions or the lies), but her fears and likes and loves. He should know she loves him by now. But she wants to give him the chance to ask her anything and to answer without reservation.

"How long have you been staring?"

He can hear the smile in her voice. "Not long enough" he whispers in her ear and notice how she shivers at that.

Sarah turns around to face him, embolden by her decision. "Let's play twenty questions" She states, knowing it's a child's game but wanting to give him the leeway to ask anything. She sees his eyebrows rise as he's caught by surprise.

"Really?" he asks like he's surprise she's suggested something so simple. "Ok" he sounds so eager, like he's been waiting for this opportunity. "You'll give me an answer to my question?"

She nods, thinking he'll ask for her name. It's the most logical and she's actually prepared to answer only to be blindsided by his actual question.

"Will you marry me?"

She thinks her heart has skipped a beat and can hear the blood rushing in her ears. Its fear like she's never experienced before. She has to tell herself to breathe, to actually perform what should be an autonomous reaction.

He's not sure he should have blurted it out like that. Maybe he should have learnt from Devon and picked the most opportune time but he knows that time is what both of them don't have and he's sure of this, of her and of what he really wants. He looks at her now, wanting her to see what he's asking of her. Not the question in itself but the commitment behind it. That he knows she has to go but with this, he's expecting her to return as she had promised.

The first thought in her head is that he does not know what he's asking. That he's not thought this out at all. That getting married won't solve anythnig. But when she looks at him, she understands that there is no problem to solve, that he's offering her an anchor. Somethnig intangible to focus on, just in case. To know that she belongs somewhere even though she'll be physically so far, far away. "Yes" she's not sure if she's actually given voice to her answer but the look on his face tells her she has.

He pulls her into a hug so quickly that he feels his ribs protest but ignores the pain. He knows he has to call Ellie (Casey's probably listening so at least that's one less person on his list). He knows Morgan's still around and if he guesses, over at the Buy More, posing as a customer and giving everyone a hard time.

**Buy More, Burbank (11.12am 29th April 2009)  
**  
Skip Johnson knew that patience always paid off, well that and good oral hygiene. He had work at the Buy More for five years and had never ever made it into Chuck's inner circle. The stories Lester and Jeff would tell of ninja attacks and wild bachelor parties were fantastical but Skip knew they were true eventhough he was never a party to them. But it didn't matter now that Chuck, Morgan, Anna (whom he always thought he had a good connection with) and that really scary big dude, John, had all left. At last, he would ascend the ladder to Nerd Herd "Supervisordom" and finally inherit all that it entailed. He'd been so observant these past few years, noting all the goings on in the Burbank Buy More, especially since Chuck started dating that really hot blonde with a penchant for service industry jobs.

Emmett had it totally wrong, Store manager was not the positon of power at the Burbank Buy More. It was being Nerd Herd Supervisor that got you a two hundred and thirty five off-site installs on double overtime pay with time off for calls after 7pm. It was being Nerd Herd Supervisor that got you dates with hot deli owners and unbelievably beautiful blonde service industry staff. Not only was Chuck King of the Herders, even the greenshirts listened to him. Skip couldn't remember how many times Scary John would take Chuck aside for a consult, not to mention Morgan as well. He just wished he could have been privy to some advice from Chuck now, especially on how to deal with Jeff, Lester and Morgan.

Ever since Morgan quit and Jeffster (at least they had their music) was fired, they'd made his life hell by coming back and hanging around, playing video games and critiquing his nerd herding skills in front of customers. He really wished Chuck was here.

"Skip?"

"Ch..Chuck" Skip could not believe his luck, not only was Chuck here (ok, it looked and sounded like Chuck but the bruises and cuts kind of made him look even more bad ass than normal).

"Hi, yeah, Sarah and I were in a car accident. Yeah, hey, have you seen Morgan?" He hadn't really rehearsed the accident bit but it fit considering what he looked like and it explained Sarah's limp. Skip was always pretty quiet never saying more than five words. if Chuck recalled correctly, the only time he has said more was when he won Employee of the month and even then, he only hit six (Thank you for this honor, sir). "Skip, I need to find Morgan", he repeated, just in case.

"He's over by the video games" Perhaps six words were all he could do.

"Thanks" Chuck grabbed Sarah hand "Listen, if you're free Saturday morning at around 8, come to Point Dume, we're having a small celebration". Skip could only nod.

"So when are you and Anna leaving?" Jeff swings and misses, almost letting the wii remote fly out of his hands.

Morgan winds up another pitch "We're trying to get cheap seats man, and those do not come, well, you know as cheap as we would like. And you're out!" They've been playing since the store's been open. Emmett glowering from his office, not being able to do anything due to Buy More store policy on Customer Care & Relationships. Lester and Anna's been heckling the Nerd Herd desk while he and Jeff have been camped out playing games. He's so in the zone, that he almost doesn't regconize Chuck, although the bruised face and cut on his cheek does make him look unChuck-like.

"Hey, Buddy, what happened?"

If he ignores the pain and just focuses on the present, he can imagine that it's just like old times. However, he can't ignore the newest change in his life. Ellie had been positively gleeful and incredibly angry (in a good way) that he was getting married without her there. He was here to ask Morgan to be his best man and god forbid (this was actually Sarah's idea), Jeff and Lester to perform at the wedding. Actually, her exact words were, "If Anna's going to be the bridesmaid and Morgan's your bestman, we might as well go the whole way and get the Thompson Twits (TM Sarah, to be fair, they had in a fit of weirdness, serenaded her with "Hold Me Now" for a full week so that she'd put in a good word with Devon & Ellie) to sing at the wedding."

"That's not important.I'm going to need your help"

**Point Dume, Los Angeles (8am 2nd May 2009)**

Chuck knew that with the NSA and CIA resources, he could put together a wedding in about three hours, as he'd done before. However, for his own wedding, he wanted to make all the decisions with Sarah which meant taking about thirty three hours more. But during that time, he'd learnt so many things about her that it opened up so many possibilities for them when she finally returned to him.

So here he was, standing beneath the cliffs at Point Dume, an Army Chaplin (Casey did call in a favor) presiding over his wedding. Morgan's standing beside him, his phone in his hand as both Ellie and Devon's on the line. Then he sees her, walking towards him, Anna fussing with her dress, her arm held comfortably in John's.

Jeff and Lester can't believe that Chuck's booked them another gig and for his wedding no less. In fact, Lester's pretty sure that Chuck's only getting married because Sarah probably needs a green card. Jeff's version being she needed a marriage license to access a large inheritance. Didn't matter though as having Jeffster perform would totally make it all seem more legitimate. There was no way in hell that someone as smoking as Sarah would agree to spend the rest of her life with Chuck even though Chuck was a pretty cool guy. Nerds didn't get that lucky unless it was in the movies but Chuck was always one to buck the trend. He signals to Jeff to switch off the amp, he doesn't think he should add to this moment but he's definitely going to let lose after the ceremony; in the mean time, it's a beautiful day for a wedding.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the…**."**

**Ellie & Awesome's Apartment, Silverlake California (11.52pm, 3rd May ,2009)**

Chuck and Sarah's been married for a little over thirty eight hours and Chuck keeps furtively looking at his watch, knowing that time is passing at its regular pace but feeling that it's still moving too fast for his liking. She's all packed, and was supposed to have left twelve hours ago and he knows it's because she won't go without saying goodbye (he wonders how much destruction that single word will render). The problem of course being that he doesn't want to say it. He had promised himself at Ellie's wedding reception that he would never say goodbye to her, that he would do everything in his power to get her to stay. Even now, knowing that she can't stay does not give him the impetus to tell her goodbye, so he says the only thing he can, "Save you later?"

He wants to tell her more things, to keep her there for just another second longer or forever. So he blurts out the first question on his mind "Will you think about me?" And almost immediately, he doesn't want her to answer, "Don't…don't answer" He can see the question in her eyes, so blue, sparkling with unshed tears. "Tell me when you come back" he nods, "Only when you come back." This time said with more assurance.

She does not want to cry today, she knows that she'd expend enough tears later on. She swipes her eyes, and blinks away the rest. She does not want him to cry either but its too late as she sees the single tear run down his cheek. She has to be the strong one now (at least outwardly). She kisses away the tear first before kissing him one final time. As she pulls back, "Save me later?" she asks, knowing that he will, each and ever day. 

**The End**

**Next Up - Chuck vs The Art of War. It should be the last Story in the series but its broken down into 13 parts....  
**


	6. Chuck vs The Art of War Laying Plans

A/N – Thanks for the reviews once again. So we're back to the main story and I did get this crazy idea for the last Story in the series, that I would follow the thirteen chapters of Sun Tzu's military treatise called "The Art of War".

I thought that I'd be able to write shorter sections but that does not seem to be going according to plan. Anyway, here is the first part of Story 4. Please feedback, tell me I'm not crazy to want to do this in thirteen parts or maybe I am and should do it in three or less! Any advice is appreciated.

**Chuck Vs The Art of War**

**Story 4**

**I. Laying Plans**

**Canton of Zug, Switzerland (7.18am, 24th October 2009)**

Rainer Benkhofer knew that he had finally encountered an opportunity that would improve his standing among the Circle. Those members that made it into the inner sanctum of the Ring were few in number and had taken years to get to their position. Rainer knew that he was being assessed and even if approved, would only be called should one of the members be removed. However, he soon realized that if he brought them the Intersect, it was guaranteed that he would be welcomed immediately. Hence, Metzger's call was indeed a pleasant surprise. The cost for the intersect was inconsequential in the scheme of things but he had to play this well, for he could not afford to raise any suspicion by moving such sums of money. Anyone of the Circle members would kill to achieve this coup and Rainer knew that he needed time to re-route the money and arrange for the delivery. Although Carl Metzger seemed eager to do the deal, he would have to be patient and stall. It wasn't as if Carl would deal with other parties, not when he had already offered sixteen million dollars and had indicated his willingness to go up to twenty.

The Intersect on the other hand would be a handful. According to his reports, she had caused an inordinate amount of trouble for them in the past six months. It had amazed him how much destruction one person could wrought on their organization. The team in Birmingham was a great loss, as were the cells in Vaduz and Bialystok. She had almost single-handedly (there were conflicting reports about help from an SIS agent) taken out half the mid level operatives running Europe. If one person equipped with the Intersect could do as much, imagine an army of them. Although, if he was being truthful, he also wanted some revenge on this, Sarah Walker. He could not kill her, because of her inherent value but that did not mean that he would not like to see her suffer at his hands.

The cell in Birmingham had been led by Rudolph Benkhofer, his only younger brother and she was responsible for his death. He knew his duty was to the Ring and that was why he would not target her for death. However, he knew of many ways that suffering could still be rendered. He had already requested for more information about Agent Walker, her previous assignments, partners, and acquaintances in the Intelligence community. Soon, he would have a full dossier on the woman such that when they finally met, she would regret the day for as long as she lived.

**Chuck & Sarah's Apartment, Silverlake California(1.02pm 25th October 2009)  
**  
Chuck had been sitting in the chair for the better part of four hours, ever since he placed her on the bed. He had contemplated laying next to her and closing his eyes, but he could not bring himself to do so. He knew for a fact that Sarah was really and truly home, had carried her into the apartment himself. But he had waited for this day for so long that he was so afraid that if he took his eyes off her even for a minute, she would disappear. Maybe it was a delayed response to seeing her hurt or maybe deep down, he wasn't sure if this day would actually come. He knew that she had promised to come back to him and that belief was the only thing that sustained him each and every day. However, he also realized how close he had come to actually losing her. If Carl had not been as greedy as he was or if he had managed to close the deal with the Ring, Sarah would have been gone.

"You look… tired" She wanted to say that he looked horrible, that the worry lines were marring his otherwise even features and the anguished expression did not help. Although, he would always look like Chuck to her, the Chuck she would picture in her head when things got rough, the one with the lopsided smile and loving eyes. She had pictured this moment as well, waking up and seeing him there for the first time, not in her dreams but the real physical presence of her husband. It felt so much better than she had imagined and she wished it could stay that way forever. But Chuck was still the Intersect and she had not managed to complete her assignment.

"You're thinking about work" There was no accusation in his tone, he just knew what Sarah was like. She could separate duty from emotion but when it came to him, the two were so intertwined that he wondered if she even knew the difference. He wasn't doubting her love for him or assuming she married him out of duty. It was the fact that she loved him so deeply, that she would fully disregard her own desires in order to protect him and that duty to him would take precedence over everything else.

"I was thinking about you," her voice still a bit rough and weak. She needs him to understand that he has always been in her thoughts, not Chuck the Intersect but Chuck, her husband. That she's alive because of him. She wants to revel in his presence, to savor this time they have because, she knows (and can see the worry reflected in his eyes) that it is not over. Chuck's still the Intersect and the Ring is still out there but she knows that real life will encroach soon enough and what she would like is to have her husband hold her. "Help me up?" she asks.

"What? No, you need to rest" Chuck can't believe she's trying to get up so he goes to the bed and slips in next to her. "We'll rest together, ok?" He does not see her small triumphant smile, celebrating her win. She turns to face him, her fingers reaching out to trace his temple and tucks a curl behind his ear. "They're making cute animal shapes". She needs to touch him, to convince herself that this is real, that she's not dead on the dirty floor of an abandoned building in Germany but in bed with her husband, his hand, warm and comforting on her waist.

"I'll get it cut" he knows she's going to protest like she did at the day before their wedding.

"Don't you dare. It's how I always pictured you" She wants to tell him more but realized there is no need. He's looking at her like she's precious and loved and it literally takes her breath away. She does not want the moment to end but she has to be strong here, "Casey says he has a plan?"

Chuck's smile falters but he understands, duty and love are still intertwined and he had made that decision for them, the moment he uploaded the intersect. "I hope this is not a habit you're cultivating." He sees her raise her eyebrow in question. "Dropping other guys names in our bed. You're going to give me a complex."

She does not retort or smile although she knows it's a joke. She takes inventory of her injuries, her shoulder is beyond sore and she cannot place any weight on it but her other arm is fine. Her broken ribs being the most inconvenient but they're taped quite tightly and all she needs to do is to maneuver over him, which she does, now seeing his eyebrows raised. She's balancing on her one good arm.

"I love you Chuck Bartowski and I think it's about time I showed you how much".

**Dongles & Things, Burbank California (8am 26th October 2009)**

"Sarah's back? Really?" Lester's not sure if Morgan's yanking his chain. He's still of the opinion that Sarah probably got deported and Chuck's been lying about her sick father. Besides, he had twenty bucks riding on that with Jeff.

"Yeah, um, Chuck called and said that he was taking a day and you know getting reacquainted" Morgan emphasizing the point with hand actions. Actually, he was the one who had called Chuck to see if he wanted to spend the day with him and Anna. When he left two days ago, Morgan had been a bit worried. It wasn't any one thing but Chuck had looked distracted. Not distracted in that 'you're hot girlfriend's undressing in front of you' way but more distracted because 'there's a huge meteor hurtling towards earth' kind of way. Chuck had finally told him that he was going to get Sarah. He wouldn't elaborate and anyway, Morgan could only say about damn time which at least made Chuck smile. He had been worried when Chuck left, feeling like he may not see him again. So when Chuck called early in the morning waking Anna and him up, he wasn't angry, just relieved.

"Well apparently they're done" Lester watches as Chuck leads Sarah into the store. "Welcome dear leader and …lady leader" he finishes lamely. Lester's never been that observant but even he can tell something's a bit different about Sarah. he hasn't seen her in six months and she's still really gorgeous but it's just the way her eyes scan the store, wary and tired. Maybe she just misses the Orange Orange. He knows he does, well not the yogurt but definitely seeing Sarah in her outfit. Hell, he misses the Wienerlicious more and the dogs weren't even kosher.

"Is Casey in my office?" Chuck did not want to come in today but the General had insisted. He had gone as far as puling the plug out of the TV in their room but she still managed to send messages to his cell. He wanted to let Sarah rest, allow her to heal but even he understood that they had an opportunity currently with a relatively short time window.

"Yeah, he's been there all day. Something about counting inventory" It had been the one point of contention between Morgan and Chuck. The fact that Chuck made his office (and the entrance to the Castle) off limits to everyone except Casey had initially spurred them to try every feasible means to get in. Casey took great pleasure in setting up various gadgets and traps that had in running order, given Jeff a black eye, caused Morgan to lose a tooth and set Lester's hair on fire. In the end, they had given up not because of Casey but because Chuck had explained that although he loved Morgan like a brother, he would have a strong preference not to have Morgan and Anna have sex in his office and he didn't trust Lester and Jeff not to use it for some nefarious purpose. In the end, it was Anna who helped Chuck hang the wedding pictures on the wall and convinced the guys to let him have his space. As a compromise, Chuck gave them free rein of the break room and promised Casey would never go in there either.

"Hey Sarah, welcome back" Morgan really is truly glad she's back. He can't place his finger on it but he always had an inkling that even Chuck was never really sure she'd come back. He didn't know why though, the way Sarah looked at him at the wedding and the way she's looking at him now leaves no doubt in anyone's mind that she's truly in love with his best bud. Maybe it was more Chuck not believing it but Morgan's just happy she's back now.

Sarah smiles at Morgan and even acknowledges Lester's presence. She's glad that for all the changes that have occurred, Chuck's still managed to hang on to his friends. "Thanks Morgan. Before I forget," she leans over and pecks him on the cheek, "Thanks for looking out for him when I was gone".

Morgan can't help the blush that rises and is glad Anna's not in the store. He can't afford to have her get jealous of Sarah as well as Ellie. "I helped too", Lester tries to maneuver himself closer to the counter failing to hide his disappointment when Sarah just pats him on his arm and thanks him.

Chuck knows she's still tired and definitely not up to full strength so he puts his arm around her and steers her to his room in the back, his watch deactivating all of Casey's booby traps . He locks the door behind them and walks towards the back wall, only to have her stop him. He's forgotten that it's her first time there and she never got to see their wedding pictures. They adorn the whole back wall and his favorite (the one of them dancing to "If You Were Here" as sung by Jeffster) slides away to reveal the control pad to Castle's main entrance.

Sarah holds Chuck's hand as they descend the stairs. She can see Casey sitting at the table watching them as they enter and realizes that she's never had the chance to talk to him since her rescue and right now, she just feels like hugging him in thanks. She has to control the urge though, knowing that Casey's not going to want that to happen, so she settles for a smile and mouths the word thank you.

"General's going to call in a minute", Casey's relieved to see her up and about. She's holding her shoulder a bit more stiffly than he'd like but he can guess its probably more due to some recent physical exertion as oppose to long term damaged caused by Metzger. He does not acknowledge her thanks not because he doesn't want it but because it's unnecessary. He was just doing his job in looking out for his partner. Still, as she takes a seat next to him, he allows her a brief nod and has to admit; her returning smile is something to look at. He's about to make a wiseass crack at Bartowski's expense only to have the General come onscreen.

"Agent Walker, it's good to see you. Your doctor's report indicates a full recovery within ten days. The broken ribs will take longer but you should be able to resume field.."

"Excuse me, General" Casey knows where the General is heading with her orders and needs to intervene before Chuck does. He can already see the kid look up with anger at the mention of sending Walker back into the field.

"Colonel" How is it that a three star General a third his size could still make him feel like he's twelve and had just interrupted an important life lesson in school and is about to be given detention.

"Well General its just that, well…"

"What Colonel Casey is trying to say, is that Sarah's (the arch eyebrow causing him to restate) um, I mean Agent Walker's reinsertion into the field may not be necessary." Even though he knows the plan and had rehearsed this with Casey he had almost blown it when the General had alluded to sending Sarah out again despite her injuries. He's done everything his country has asked of him, not expecting much in return, but he will not continue to let Sarah sacrifice herself, not when they can finally see an alternative.

"General Beckman, we have reason to believe that Carl Metzger currently in SIS custody, is willing to broker a deal with the Ring" Casey's not even sure if that's really correct but he does know that Metzger's their only link to the Ring and it's worth a shot. Casey knows that Sarah's still willing to carry out her mission even if her safety's not guaranteed. Likewise he knows that Chuck's not going to survive if she doesn't. Hence, they need an end game and Metzger may just be the solution.

"What kind of deal?"

Sarah was surprised that Chuck would actually going along with Casey's idea. He had finally explained to her that although he did not in any way want the both of them to even be in the same vicinity much less the same zip code as the Ring, it was their only choice. They could spend the rest of their lives apart with her on the run or they could try and end it on their terms, together.

"To sell the intersect to the Ring", she takes Chuck's hand in hers.

"And you will pose as the Intersect?" Sarah's accompanying nod did not seem to convince Beckman. "And what would that accomplish?"

"We've taken down over twenty cells and we still have no clue who's calling the shots. All your interrogations have not yielded more information. This is our one chance to go straight to the source. Colonel Casey and I can provide back up to Agent Walker. We can take them down from the inside." Chuck did not want to sound too desperate but he knows that if he does not convince Beckman, Sarah will be sent out in the field again.

"But how do we know that it is the Source and not just another faction?"

"Because General, of this" Casey tosses Metzger's phone onto the table. "Thirty six hours ago, a message was sent to that phone from a building in Zurich. It took SIS's supercomputer most of the day to trace back ownership of the building to one Orbis International. The message was also quite telling. It reads, The Circle will meet by the end of the month. We expect delivery in four days. Twenty million dollars. All this points that the exchange is with someone within the Ring"

Sarah knows what will convince Beckman and hopes that Casey and Chuck will play along "General, Agent Barker has just been assigned to lead the task force. He had requested for our assistance in..."

Even before Sarah can finish, Chuck sees Beckman's demeanor changing "The SIS has no right to usurp our lead position in this operation"

(Interagency rivalry gets them all the time), now its Casey's turn to feel like hugging Walker, not that he actually will.

"Colonel Casey, your most recent assessment of Agent Bartowski shows that he is still not ready for field work. That he is still a liability on account of not being able to control the Physical Flashes"

"Actually General, I respectfully withdraw that assessment. It is my current understanding that Agent Bartowski is able to Force Flash within a certain trigger parameter" He doesn't really understand this part. Had not believed Chuck when he recounted flashing for Sarah's benefit but knows that weirder things have happened. They've got no other choice anyway. It's either a team mission or Sarah ending up out there again, alone.

"And what is the trigger parameter?" Diane Beckman has been a career military officer her whole life. Prior to that, she was an army brat following her father around the world as he served two wars and six different commissions. Nothing fazed her until she had been assigned to oversee the Human Intersect project team. The only thing that prevented her from shutting them down on a weekly basis, was their unusually high success rate on their missions. This however put them in a whole different league. If Chuck Bartwoski could flash on demand, it would make him the single most powerful intelligence tool bar none. It would mean he would have to be protected at all costs. She saw Agent Walker holding his hand and had been informed of their marriage. It would be a shame to separate them but what choice did she have. To her, country came first, before all else. She needed to lay her plans for Chuck's retrieval, only to have Agent Walker's next words stop her cold.

"Me" Sarah answered, she still didn't understand the workings of Chuck's mind but he had shown her empirical proof that when it came to her well being, he could force flash.

With that, the game changed again. Beckman did not have a choice. She could order Chuck taken in but he would be useless without Agent Walker, a liability as per Colonel Casey's original assessment. She has to let this play out and reassess her options. She could still arrange for his retrieval at any time and at least this mission would allow her the proof and field testing of his newfound ability. There was always a chance that he would get hurt or worst killed but the look of determination on Agent's Walker's face put to rest any doubt in her mind that if it came down to it, Walker would ensure the intersect's safety at the expense of her own life.

"Very well, you may proceed, keep me updated and Good Luck."

**Next Up Chuck vs The Art of War- II. Waging War**


	7. Chuck vs The Art of War Waging War

Hi to all those who are actually reading (and hopefully) enjoying the story so far. This is part 2 of (possibly) 13 parts. Thanks so much for those who have reviewed/given feedback. it really does help me write faster :)

I don't own Chuck but have decided to create a few characters to interact in that universe. The plan moves forward but things go slightly awry...

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**II Waging War**

**Canton of Zug, Switzerland (****11.32am, 26****th**** October 2009)**

Rainer Benkhofer was born the first son of a minor German aristocrat and his common law wife forty two years ago. He spent his idyllic childhood near the Black Forest always noting that his younger brother had his father's approval in all things. It made Rainer work harder and do more just to ensure even a bit of attention and it was only when his father had been killed, did he finally realize that attention was not always a good thing. From then, he had worked his way up the organization, always keeping his head down while accomplishing tasks as set out by the Circle. He had graduated top of his class at Oxford, worked at the World Bank and then subsequently was seconded to the UN where he still held an undersecretary position working in the Census bureau. All as per their plan but he also had his own ideas, He accepted that his father was killed because he had failed the Circle in some way. Rainer was not going to let that happen to him or to his brother. He accepted that his younger brother was his responsibility and molded him to follow in his footsteps, as his father never did. For twenty years, all was going according to plan, Rainer would ascend into the Circle and Rudolph would take his place as their primary enforcer. it had all been ordained until Sarah Walker chose to end his brother's life.

Her dossier provided to him was still rather thin, a number of missions in Latin America with a Bryce Larkin. Fulcrum had recruited Larkin to steal the Intersect only to have him download it into himself and then suddenly go off grid. It had taken over a year to finally track him down and kill him. Roark's Intersect cube project had been successful and it was all suppose to come together but yet again, this Agent Walker had intervened, stolen the intersect and uploaded it. Prior to appearing on scene, she had apparently been seconded to a domestic detail with either the FBI or the NSA. There were additional Fulcrum reports of incidents in California with an operative fitting her general description but apart from confirmed failed missions, there was little else of note. It all came back to her. If he looked at the data objectively, her link to Larkin, the failed missions in California would completely suggest that she was involved with the Intersect project from the start. The last page though gave him pause, she had changed her beneficiary in the CIA database from closest living relative (to be identified on death), to one Charles Irving Bartowski, entry level analyst working in California. This was possibly the information most valuable to him. A personal connection, like his brother was for him, could be used to ensure maximum co-operation and induce pain for the Intersect.

His last message to Metzger had indicated his preference to take custody of the Intersect in two days. The money was currently being transferred from their Singapore account and he had made all the arrangements to receive and hold her at his Schwarzwald compound. With the new information, he also needed to initiate surveillance and capture of one Charles Bartowski.

He reached for his phone, "Alexei, I have a job for you, a retrieval in California, you have to leave immediately."

**Dongles & Things, Burbank (4.37pm**** 26****th**** October 2009)**

"Morgan, you're not the boss of me. You may be my boyfriend, but you can't tell me who to serve or not" Anna whispered furiously. She had been mortified when Morgan had interrupted her sales technique (which legitimately included minor flirting) with the cute European guy. The guy had been really nice too, introducing himself in a sexy Russian accent. Even his name was pretty cool, Alexei Orlov. She couldn't believe that Morgan had the audacity to march over and drag her away without even acknowledging the customer who at this point was way across the store being served by Jeff.

"You were flirting and Chuck put me in charge" Morgan realized it was his fault really. Anna was a passionate girl and between worrying about Chuck these past few weeks and listening to his mom go on about her fights with Big Mike, he had neglected his Anna Banana and now, here she was, acting out by flirting with the first tall, suave, foreign guy she sees.

"Morgan, you wouldn't recognize flirting if it bit you on the ass. Alexei is a customer and since when are you in charge" Anna loved Morgan, she really did but its times like these where she has to remind herself constantly of that particular fact. She knew he was stressed by his mom and by Chuck being all weird and secretive but things were looking up considering that Sarah was finally back. It was doubly great that John Casey had offered them his uncle's cabin in the Poconos to have their long awaited honeymoon. Now Morgan could stop worrying about Chuck and start paying attention to her and not her sales technique. They're still talking in hushed voices although she can see how agitated Morgan is and knows he's about to make one of his declarations. She only hopes its not about his prowess in bed.

"Anna, for all intents and purposes, I am Chuck Bartowski" Morgan finishes with a loud flourish and hitting his chest with his fist. Chuck had so put him in charge when he left. Morgan had specifically asked him who Chuck thought was the most responsible and the answer Chuck had given was "The one who thinks most like me" which in Chuck's mind meant Anna but in Morgan's mind did not. Hence his loud declaration.

Jeff knew he was close to an actual first sale. He was more stoked that he should be considering that Chuck did not pay them on commission but it was nice to actually sell something. "Yes, this particular phone model has the ability to store two SIM cards, here, I've put in yours and you'll be able to use it." This guy wasn't even paying attention, to the price or anything, he seemed more interested in Anna (who wouldn't be) but regardless, he was playing with the phone and even testing the messaging functions.

Alexei Orlov always liked America and especially California. The sun was always shining, he could get a tan and things seem to always fall in his lap. Right now, he had just sent a message to Herr Benkhofer confirming target identification and initiation of retrieval process. His private jet was due in two hours which gave just enough time to visit his favorite tanning salon.

**Military A330 Jet, Somewhere over the North Atlantic Ocean (9.32pm 27****th**** October 2009)**

It's relatively quiet in the cabin and Chuck's laid out across three seats, with Sarah tucked in next to him. It's not the most comfortable position for him but he does not want to wake her. He knows that she's still in some pain and that her ribs need another six weeks to heal but like before, time is not on their side. He knows she's taking pain meds but he also knows she's not taking enough. He wonders if he'll ever stop worrying for her. Intellectually, Chuck knows she's beyond competent and can look after herself, its just that he's her husband and he will never get use to seeing her hurt. That if it came down to a choice, he'd take her place without doubt, only he can't do that here. Sarah has to do this without him and it scares him beyond belief. He knows its their only avenue though. They need to fight the Ring on their grounds and from within and the only way to do this is to once again put Sarah's life on the line. He doesn't want to think like that though so he calculates how long they've been in the air and wonders if they get frequent flier miles using military aircraft. He's pretty sure that he's racked up enough points in the past week to get him and Sarah two tickets to Cancun at least. They never did get a honeymoon and when they get done with this, he knows he's going to plan for one. His official government pay checks are not big by any means but he really hasn't been spending much (most of his travel seems to be courtesy of the US government anyway) so he knows he'll really be able to take her someplace nice.

"You should get some sleep." Sarah's always had the ability to sleep anywhere. it's been ingrained in her to grab rest where she can on account of needing to be operationally ready at any given time. Chuck's training has not reached that stage and she's unsure of whether she'd like it too. She's happy that he's filled out physically but she wonders if he'll lose his Chuckness. She can't really define it but she can recognize it anywhere. it's his ability to make you feel safe (like he did with the ballerina, the day they met) and loved.

"What?" he knows she's thinking of something relating to him. She gets this look in her eyes and he used to think it was a figment of his imagination but more and more (and he's thought about it plenty since she left), he's realized that he has to read between the lines with her, that she's been brought up to speak in the language of cons and codes. That what she says is not always what she means, but asking her, sometimes allows her to express what she truly wants.

"Don't change" she whispers, like if she expresses it too loudly, it loses its meaning. She wonders if he really understands what she's asking of him. That for the longest time, her cornerstone had been her duty to the CIA and her decisions all driven by the ends justifying the means. She was always expected to change, identities, roles, allegiances. But ever since she's met him, he's been the one constant and she's finally found her own identity.

"I won't." It's the smile that clinches it for her, whatever happens she knows that he's her moral compass and that they're get through this together. For his part, he holds her tighter and closes his eyes, wanting to grant her first request.

**SIS North London Secret HQ (10.32pm**** 27****th**** October 2009)**

Felix Temple Villiers was not in a good mood, especially as he'd been taken off active duty and relegated to babysitting an injured man whom he was told not to talk to. The fact that he was not the most sober currently and owed Cole a favor made him keep his mouth shut and wait for the Americans that were suppose to arrive. He had not even been told how many to expect but just to inform Barker when they arrived. He wasn't even privy to the discussions currently going on between the Chief and Cole except that they were planning an operation with the Americans to take down the so-called Ring. It had always been one of those urban legends amongst his set, a secret cabal of rich powerful people only dealing in information and using it to control everything from the price of Oil to the near collapse of the Financial Markets. Their main focus though, was not to take over the world as that would be too bourgeois, it was simple economics. It would seem that all they wanted was to amass as much money as they could and that was something he could understand.

"Felix?" Cole was tired, he had spent the past forty eight hours first being debriefed and then arranging for a task force to assist Casey and Chuck in their plan. it wasn't difficult convincing the Chief especially when there seemed to be a rivalry of sorts going on between him and General Beckman. Overall though, he was still worried about Sarah. He knew she would be involved despite her injuries and he wanted to make sure that his team were well prepared to handle anything. Now all he had to do was brief Felix on his part.

They had been friends since their training days. It amazed him that they had got along so well despite their obvious differences. Felix had been admitted straight out of Cambridge, an easy entry due to his degree in High German, a penchant for adventure and the fact that his grandfather was one of the original SOE officers. Cole on the other hand, had opted to skip university and had enlisted in the SAS as soon as he turned legal. Despite that, they had become fast friends and had risen through the ranks together. it was still rumored that Felix would eventually inherit both his peerage title and the Chief position at the same time and Cole was happy to have him watching his back.

"Cole, about bloody time. I was beginning to think that I'd reach sobriety before you showed up. Now why am I watching over an injured mid level thug and waiting for some damn Americans?" Felix always liked Cole. unlike the other officers who showed him respect because of his name as oppose to his talents, Cole had always judged him sole on his own merits.

"We're waiting on Agent Walker and her associates" Cole saw Felix smile as the mention of Sarah. He knew Felix had guessed that he had been with Sarah for the past three months and that she was the one who had caught his eye when he had gone Stateside. "She's taken by the way, married." He had almost come to terms with that, realizing that her friendship was just as important to him. Over the past three months, she had shown that she did care for him as a friend and confidant and although it would never quite be enough, it was her choice and he had to respect that. At least, he liked Chuck and even though he still did not have the whole story of why Sarah and Chuck both were intersected, Chuck's actions in Germany showed how much he loved Sarah too.

"Too bad" Felix had seen the way Cole had reacted three months ago. He had been immensely surprised at the speed in which he had arranged to take indefinite leave and also his willingness to throw away his career. But he had meet Agent Walker and found her both attractive and definitely competent. "So what's my role in this menage a trois?"

"Metzger's given us all the information we need but he's not going to co-operate physically"

"You want me to assume his identity? To what end?" This was getting intriguing, perhaps he would finally get to meet the Ring.

"We have reason to believe that tomorrow night, a meeting has been arranged to take place in a compound in the Black Forest" Cole did not agree with Casey on this part when the Colonel has requested that no one beyond Cole be involved in the mission. He could still hear Casey's snide voice in informing him of his ability to take on Metzger's identity. Cole had taken great pleasure in pointing out that although Casey spoke German, he did not sound German and that would put Sarah in more danger than not. On hearing that, Chuck had immediately concurred with Cole and agreed to include Felix in on the plan.

"And what will I be doing at this meeting?"

"Carl Metzger will be transferring one Sarah Walker into the hands of someone whom we think has links to the organization known as the Ring" This was the part of the plan that both Cole and Chuck were most uncomfortable with. In effect, they were going to deliver Sarah to the enemy. Chuck had vehemently protested doing this, had suggested that they do something else. As usual, Sarah had been the voice of reason, had pointed out that she wasn't going in alone and that Casey, Chuck and Cole would all be close by. Furthermore, they were all working off the premise that unlike Metzger who had a sadistic streak, the Ring would be for a short time, more interested in Sarah's well being, as the only human Intersect (Cole had purposely interrupted Sarah here pointing out that that was not necessary correct), that the Ring knew of, Sarah finished. She didn't really like the fact that Cole now knew about Chuck once again.

"I'm just going to hand her over?"

"More or Less.." Cole trusted Felix with his life and therefore convinced both Chuck and Casey that Sarah's life was in good hands. "Metzger has always been a free agent and this would be his biggest pay out. The possibility of more money…"

"You want me to pledge allegiance to the Ring and accompany Agent Walker on the inside" Felix finished, finally seeing the whole picture.

"I know its dangerous but it's the only way we can wage war from within" Cole's injuries and his non-fluency in German had ruled him out of going in with Sarah and he knew it was asking a lot of his old friend.

"Cole, old chap, why do you think I joined the service. it would be an utter delight to work with Agent Walker. I might even try and change her mind about you"

Cole laughs at the notion that Felix could ever change Sarah's mind. For three months, he had thought that despite the fatigue of being on the run, she was still a stunningly beautiful person. But even he could not deny the way she absolutely lit up when she saw Chuck at the schoolhouse. Granted, she was also incredibly angry but the way she held on to him and her total belief in his ability to save her spoke volumes. Sarah Walker may have had some interest in him initially but even then, it was probably more denial of her feeling for Chuck so he'd just rather settle for them naming their first born after 'd have to work on that though as god forbid they'd ever decide that Casey was better.

"Not going to happen mate. Let's go and get a drink before the yanks show up. I've a feeling it's going to be the last one you'll have for some time"

**CIA ****Safehouse outside Baden Baden (10.02am 28****th**** October 2009)**

Chuck's never been to Europe until four days ago and now within the span of a hundred hours, he's been twice. He wants to ask Sarah how many times its been for her but realizes he doesn't care. Its their first time coming together and that's all that matters. Except that he also knows that in ten hours or so, she would have to leave him again. They're sitting outside, huddled together in a small loveseat overlooking an overgrown garden.

He's still so worried about her injuries. She's finally relented and used the sling for her shoulder only because it gave her an additional place to hide her knives. Her ribs are still taped and Casey had given her a few cortisone shots to help with the healing. She has some pills stashed somewhere on her person but he knows she doesn't like taking them. She's been relatively quiet throughout the flight and subsequently during the briefing in London and seemed comfortable just always being in contact with him (her palm over his, her calf pressed against his thigh).

She'd left the questions to Casey and listened to Cole's briefing all the while just sitting next to him like she'd always be there except he knows she won't. Chuck's not sure what to do, he knows that this time, she's not going in alone, that Felix will be there and the sub-cutaneous tracking device courtesy of the SIS would always pinpoint her exact location. Adding to that, Cole's got military back-up on demand and Casey's armed like his off to war. He still does not want her to go though because nothing's guaranteed and even if he can now flash on demand, it still does not guarantee her safety. He's let her go before and he nearly lost her, he's not sure he can do it now.

He still thinks they do not know enough about Rainer Benkhofer. All their information seems to point to him being somewhat involved with Ring activities, an apartment leased by Orbis International, his current job allowing him to travel to various countries under diplomatic immunity and the added coincidence of various unexplained incidences in those same countries just before or after his arrival. Like the stolen plans for a self guided next gen missile from Russia or the purported sale of a highly contagious toxin in Shanghai. Chuck could see the linkages from the Flash in his head but just could not fully identify any other members of the Ring's inner Circle. They needed Rainer to point the way and therefore, he needed to come to terms that Sarah had to go in again.

Sarah's knows she should feel totally exhausted. Her injuries, the fight with Metzger, the past six months all seem to have faded away in the presence of Chuck. She wonders about the fortune he's make if he could learn to bottle his Chuck-ness but she's also glad that perhaps she's the only one it will work on. Not Jill or Lou but Sarah, just Chuck's Sarah. He's looking anxious again and she can guess why. He's always treated her with respect and has never questioned her ability to do her job but he can't hide his fear for her safety. She does not want to lie to him but she knows she may have to bend the truth because if he actually asked her to say, she's not sure if she won't acquiesce. She still needs to b the strong one here. "The plan's going to work". It's an old spy trick, to keep repeating something until it becomes familiar, until it rings true.

He really wants to believe that, would give anything for it to come though but he knows what's at stake and he's not sure he wants to take that chance. "We could just run." They had done it before and he's almost sure Casey would not find them this time. She does not answer, just turns her body such that she's looking into his eyes and he can see the question she's not articulating (is that what you really want?).

"I don't want to lose you" he answers honestly.

Again, she makes a choice, "I'm not planning on getting lost." She does not want to die but knows it's a possibility. She also knows that running will not end it. They've won before, managed to take down most of Fulcrum and remove the Intersect. They're stronger now, the both of them and this needs to end so that their life (real life) can begin. "I want to have a life, a family with you. Not on the run or in hiding. This is a chance for us to end it."

He knows what she's saying but the fear is still there. "What if.." he can't finish the sentence. She holds his face in her hands and their foreheads touch. His eyes close voluntarily and he can feel her tears (or is it his) on his face.

"I won't.." she whispers.

It's as good a promise as he's going to get. He trust her to do everything in her power to get back to him and he knows she trust him to do his duty. He knows they're done talking when he sees her smile as she rises and takes his hand and leads him back to the house. Casey had told her to rest and she can' t think of a better way than to do so in her husband's arms.

**Twenty miles outside Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (7.40pm, 28****th**** October 2009)**

Chuck watches as Casey ties Sarah's hands together, in front of her, ensuring that the bonds look tight but knowing it's not going to constrict the blood flow to her hands. it's about to begin, Felix is already on the driver's seat and they are just waiting for Sarah to get in. Sarah has the implanted tracker and Felix is wired for audio, the tiny transmitter in his inner ear, working perfectly. Chuck knows that they are as prepared as they're ever going to be and have all had way more experience than he has in the field. They discussed various contingencies and know what to do. Still, he can't shake the feeling that they have not thought of everything. He sees Sarah looking at him, "I'll be no more than twenty miles away at all times, I promise", he tells her and sees her smile in return.

Sarah's torn between wanting Chuck there and worrying for his safety. He's looking more and more like the spy she thought he could be. All dressed in black and wearing a hidden holster, albeit only holding a tranq gun. "Good luck kiss?" she asks and he obliges, her tied hands going over his head as she pulls him close. She knows Felix is waiting for her and reluctantly pulls back. She nods at Casey who surprisingly salutes back. Cole opens the back door for her and adjusts her blindfold. "Take care of him" she states, knowing Cole won't answer but will accept her request.

Felix is trying to avoid as many potholes as he can but its difficult considering the road they driving on hasn't been paved in over twenty years. He knows he's on the castle grounds but appreciates that it will be at least another five minutes before he can see the building. He notes the four guard posts at five hundred yard intervals as well as the cameras mounted along the road. He wants to apologize to Sarah for the bumps but knows that Carl Metzger would not care and right now, that's who he is such that when he finally stops the car and alights, he does not acknowledge her low voice as she wishes him good luck.

She can feel rough hands pulling her out of the car and pushing her forward and into the house. She knows Felix is in front of her, talking in German and demanding his reward. She knows what he intends to do but is still caught off guard as he pulls her towards him, his gun pushed against her temple and he repeats in German for his money.

"Herr Metzger, you have delivered so rest assured, you will get your reward" Rainer is not surprised at the audacity of Metzger and if he wasn't in such a good mood, he would have given the order to kill him. But he knows that people like Carl are a necessary evil, and in this case, also his most important ally. This was the man who has brought him the Intersect and therefore his entry into the Circle.

"And if I want more? You seem to have done well for yourself, I may be able to help you do better" Felix knows he needs to convince this man of his value.

"You're saying the money offered is not enough?" Benkhofer does not hide the annoyance in his voice.

"Not at all, I'm offering you my services, perhaps in ensuring her (her pushes Sarah in front), co-operation"

Rainer smiles, "You are too kind Herr Metzger but I think I do not require help in that department." Alexei had confirmed the retrieval and was at this time preparing the guest for his debut. It would have been preferable to have both of them under his roof but the Intersect was still too valuable and abducting a CIA analyst, no matter how low on the totem pole could still result in some retaliation. Hence Alexei was to keep Charles Bartowski at his apartment in Bonn. A video link will show her why she needs to co-operate and also ensure that she will know what losing a loved one feels like. He wants to see her face when he tells her of his coup.

Sarah feels her blindfold being removed and blinks in the brightly lit room. The man before her is flanked by two guards, She knows Felix still has his gun trained on her back but knows if she moves, he could have a clean shot. However, it's his next words that keep her rooted to the spot.

"Agent Walker (he grabs her chin and forces her to look at him), you have cost me and I intend to collect. Your friend Charles Bartowski will soon understand the meaning of pain and I assume his presence will be enough to ensure your full co-operation" Rainer gestures to his guards and they pull Sarah towards the stairs. She looks at Felix, and he knows she wants him to go and protect Chuck. Only he can't do that, he's promised Cole he would stay and guard Sarah at all cost and he shakes his head in response.

"Herr Benkhofer, perhaps I can be of help in other areas. Your reward has been most kind and I do feel I can still be of use to you" Felix sees him nod and knows at least he's done his job. He sees Sarah's worried expression and hopes that Cole and Casey are protecting Chuck.

**The End **

**Next Up Chuck vs The Art of War- III. Attack by Stratagem**

**Reviewing does release positive endorphins (for me :) but hopefully for you too.  
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	8. Chuck vs TAOW Attack by Stratagem

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**III. Attack by Stratagem**

**Twenty miles outside Chateau Ha****ute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (8.30pm, 28****th**** October 2009)**

The audio is not as crisp as he would like, but the message is clear. They're coming for Chuck. Casey's first instinct is to bundle him out of there and back to the States as quickly as he can arrange for it. But he knows it's not going to happen. Chuck's committed to being here because he's accepted his duty and more importantly because Sarah needs him.

"I don't understand, how does he know about me, about where I am?" Chuck still does not see the whole picture, they've been so careful in planning. This did not make any sense. He could see Cole scanning the perimeter likes he's expecting an attack any minute. "It's not me" Chuck states, "He talked like he has me already, but I'm here, It's not me." Chuck's feels his phone vibrating and declines the call when he sees that its just Morgan calling. However, Morgan's really persistent and calls again while sending him three messages. "Morgan, I'm..." he's stopped by Anna's frantic voice.

"Chuck, I know you're on your honeymoon and all but please tell me Morgan's there?" Anna's not the type to panic but it's not like Morgan to miss one of their anniversary dates and it's even less like Morgan to leave his phone behind. She had told Morgan to leave the guy alone but he had insisted on accompanying him out of the store on the pretext of good customer service. That had been yesterday and Morgan never came back. She had thought that he was just being Morgan and had gone off to the arcade or to have a sandwich at subway. When he missed their date, she had been more angry than worried. She had only called him this morning and then realized that his phone was still in the shop. His mom said he didn't come home and the only other person she knew he would seek advice from was Chuck.

"Anna? Um, No, Morgan's not here" For all Chuck knew, Morgan was actually in the Poconos looking for him. The only problem was that he was in Germany. "Why would you think he'd come here?" Chuck knew that he should be used to this by now, the lying to his friends and trying to solve their easy problems while dealing with life or death spy issues at the same time.

"I don't know" For the first time, Anna sounds unsure and she's always been pretty sure of a lot of things. She's sure that although Morgan's got the maturity of a fifteen year old, that he had a good heart and he loved her. But flaking out like this and disappearing is beyond her understanding. "Chuck, do you think something's happened to him?"

Chuck's at a loss for words. He thinks that Anna's probably feeling a bit like he is currently, not knowing if a loved one is safe. He wants to hang up and concentrate on the current mission. Sarah's depending on him and it is a matter of her life or death but he just can't abandon his friends either. He can see Casey getting antsy and knows that they have to decide on their next move. But he can't do that to Anna, regardless of his current duty, Anna and Morgan are still his friends. "I…I don't know. What happened yesterday?"

"He was jealous of some foreign guy in the store and I think he went out to confront him?"

"What foreign guy?" Chuck's already formulating his response for Anna. Odds are that Morgan's probably hopped up on grape soda and passed out in Chuck's bedroom, when she triggers his Flash.

"Alexei Orlov" Anna does not think the name's sexy anymore. In fact if the guy did something to Morgan, she's pretty sure he's going to regret giving her his name once she goes online and wipes out his entire electronic history. She's already trying to hack into Homeland Security database and put his name on high alert.

'Strawberry ice cream, electronic keypad, circuit board, white tiger, katana sword, strawberry ice cream'.

Chuck drops his phone, the Flash telling him all he needs to know and the information is not good. He takes a deep breath before picking up the phone and hoping that the line has not been cut.

"Chuck? Helloo, Chuck are you there?" Anna hopes that she's not caught Chuck in the middle of a make out session with Sarah or worse. She can't hear anything in the background and she'd always pegged Sarah for the loud sort but you never know. She understands that its unfair of her to disturb Chuck considering that he hasn't seen his wife in six months but she knows that he cares about Morgan too and hopes that he would have some insight as to where Morgan's at.

"Anna, Um I think I may know where Morgan is but you've got to trust me and let me get him back to you, ok?" He thinks she's nodding at this point, "I'll get him back to you, I promise" and hangs up. Chuck wants to throw the phone away and scream out loud but instead he takes a deep breath and stares at the ring on his finger. Morgan had been so afraid that he'd lose it that day on the beach. He wanted to show Chuck that he was responsible and wasn't going to lose them and ended up wearing Sarah's ring on his pinkie. Problem was that it got stuck until Anna had to use her mouth to lubricate his finger. It was a good thing the Chaplin was an army vet and had seen weirder things. He never told Sarah that story and the ring was fine after Morgan washed it in the ocean. There were a number of times when his spy life completely intersected with his family and Casey and Sarah had always helped him sort it out, except Sarah wasn't here.

Casey had seen Chuck flash and had picked up enough of the one sided conversation to know that they had a big friggin problem. "Bartowski, what do we have?" He was counting on Chuck to put aside whatever lady feelings he had right now and make the decision. Sarah and Felix have been inserted and the plan was to stay as close as possible to them and see if Chuck flashed on anything via the information gathered by Felix. Then all they had to do was wait until the Circle was revealed. After that, Casey and Chuck would get Sarah and Cole and his team would do the rest. It was all riding on the fact that Chuck could now Flash on demand when he was with Sarah. It was relatively untested on what type of skills he would be enhanced with but going by the past example of kung fu and bomb diffusing, they would be of great use in extracting Sarah and taking down the ring.

Chuck knows that Casey is giving him a choice but the problem is that the choice is to stay and protect Sarah or leave and rescue Morgan. It's not his worse nightmare, no, that's the one where there's a gun pointed at Ellie's head and another at Sarah's. He takes another deep breath and can feel Casey's eyes on him and even without looking, knows that he's scowling. He does not care though, as all he can hear is Sarah's voice in his head, 'Go get Morgan'.

"Alexei Orlov, Russian Oil merchant with ties to various criminal organizations although he's been clean for the past three years and working in Switzerland as an aide de camp to UN diplomat Rainer Benkhofer. There's circumstantial evidence of him committing a number of murders and kidnappings but he's hidden behind a diplomatic passport or just disappeared before anything could be pinned on him. He has Morgan and we need to get him before..." Chuck wasn't sure how to finish the sentence. They did need to rescue Morgan before they discovered he wasn't Chuck but they also needed to do it before they tried to use him against Sarah.

Casey knew that the response was the right one although it was still a difficult decision for Bartowski to make. He had been tasked with assessing him for the field and had diligently provided reports to Beckman on his progress. Walker had not been surprised when he gave her the update that Chuck had scored well in almost all the areas except for emotional detachment. She had argued that it was Chuck's emotional ties that enabled him to think outside the box and come up with a solution that did not include acceptable collateral damage. The problem here though was that despite Chuck making the correct strategic decision to go and rescue Morgan, Casey knew that if anything happened to Walker in the meantime, Chuck would never forgive himself.

"Do you know where they've taken him?" Cole did not like this new development. Sarah and Felix were trained operatives but Sarah was not a hundred percent healed from her encounter with Metzger and Felix was already walking a fine line with Benkhofer from the conversation they had just heard. Cole was sure of his SAS team and their ability to handle any trouble if they had to go in. The issue here was that he had also promised Sarah that he would keep an eye out for Chuck. It wasn't that she didn't trust Chuck's ability but she knew that he was the type to ignore his own safety in order to do the right thing. She had promised to come back to Chuck and in return had made both Casey and Cole promise that Chuck would be there safe, when she came back.

"Orlov has an apartment in Bonn, a warehouse in Zug or he could be bringing Morgan here..I'm not sure." Despite making the decision and still hearing Sarah's voice of reason in his head, Chuck can still feel the worry building in the pit of his stomach. Worry that Morgan's been dragged into this because of the simple fact that he's Chuck's best friend and the added worry that he will not be there for Sarah despite promising her that he would only always be twenty miles away.

"Check the German airport databases on where Orlov landed. Most likely private jet from LAX. he would want to land near his final destination." Casey's already planning the Op in his head. Retrieving Morgan would not be difficult, retrieving him unhurt would be. He decides against the grenades and instead opts for smoke canisters.

"A private Jet landed in Bonn Airport at 7 pm this evening apparently from Mexico but airport controllers noted that the jet initial flight plan had been from LAX. Best bet is that your friend's being held in Bonn" Cole notices Chuck's still staring at his wedding band and feels sorry for him. "Felix is one of the best and Sarah's implant is still functioning. You go in, get your friend and get back in time for the real fun."

Chuck knows Cole's only trying to help and that he would never let anything happen to Sarah. The fact that the guy took a bullet for her was testament of it. It was just that she had been abducted when she was with Cole and now, her only ally was a guy they had just met a day ago. He had faith in Sarah though, that she was good at her job and would expect him to do his. Which meant making the most difficult decision of his life currently. He's going to have to break his first promise to her. Bonn's not twenty miles away and he can't get here in time if anything happens but he has to have faith that the good guys tend to win, he just hopes that they'll do so with no collateral damage.

"Lock and Load Bartwoski, we leave in five" Casey throws the tranq darts to Chuck and indicates to him to get in the car as he still needs to have a few private words with Cole. "You get her out the second you feel it's going south." He sees Cole nod but Casey feels like his message has still not gotten through "Barker, if she even has a broken nail, I'm coming back for Benkhofer and then for you." emphasizing the last point by holding on to Cole's injured forearm before turning and walking towards the car.

**Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (****9.45pm, 29****th**** October 2009)**

Sarah's been pacing in the room for about an hour. She knew it would be wiser to conserve energy but she didn't know what was going on outside since they locked her in the room. All she could think of was that they were planning to capture Chuck or had already captured him. She had been so careful to never talk of him such that although they were married in the eyes of God, they had not registered their marriage in California or any of the other US States. The fact that they knew of a connection to Chuck did not indicate that they knew he was the Intersect though and that to her was the only upside to this whole mess. The fact that she's still a prisoner indicates that they think she's the Intersect and somehow, they discovered Chuck's relationship or linkage to her. Benkhofer had stated that they were going to use him to ensure her co-operation. As long as she played along and showed she was co-operating, they had no reason to hurt Chuck. She had pretended to be the Intersect for six months and had even fooled Cole, she knew she could continue to do it until Casey came up with a plan to rescue Chuck.

The door finally opened and Sarah stops mid-stride, she's tempted to take out one of her throwing knifes but knows that she has to pick her moment. She turns to look at Rainer and can't shake the feeling that he really does not like her. She stares defiantly at him and can see the hate in his eyes as he slowly enters the room. he appears to be unarmed until he takes out a Georgian Khanjali. Sarah can tell it's a well maintained antique, well crafted handle and a sharp blade.

"This was my brother's" Rainer does not like knifes, preferring the swiftness of a bullet but he knows the woman before him has some skill with them and would appreciate the damage they can cause considering Rudolph had bled out fro a knife wound to his neck. "He never got the chance to use it."

Sarah remains silent, unsure of where this is going but understands that its just another piece of the puzzle she needs to understand the Ring. She knows that she can do one thing however to cement her cover and she tenses, eyes wavering as she sways on her feet. Sarah shakes her head as if coming out of a flash "Your name is Rainer Benkhofer, UN employee with ties to Orbis international. You are a member of the Ring"

Rainer cannot hide his surprise at the information, his hand tightening around the hilt of the dagger, he wants to hurt the woman before him but she has information that he needs for the Circle and for his future. He sheathes the dagger, knowing that its only a matter of time before he can see her suffer, perhaps not physically yet but it would be close enough. "Who is Charles Bartowski?" He notices she does not flinch or acknowledge the name but he knows she's an agent first and would not give any indication."No matter, he will tell us" Again, she's mute and unmoving.

"Perhaps you should not have changed your beneficiary?" and there it is, a slight tightening around her eyes, her jaw more set. Her features are still not betraying any emotions she may be feeling. With that, he turns and leaves, he cannot wait to show her the tape and start his revenge.

Sarah knows the room is probably wired for picture and sound and that she cannot show any emotion. She walks to the small window and looks through the bars, letting out the breath she has been holding since Chuck's name was mentioned. She should have known that the CIA database would not be off-limits and now, her one and only act to acknowledge Chuck has exposed him to the Ring.

She's never been religious but has great faith in Casey's skills. Now though, she prays for both of them; for Chuck to remain out of the Ring's clutches and for Casey to do his job.

**Poppelsdorf, Bonn (12.****15am, 29****th**** October 2009)**

For the first time in his life, Morgan's at a loss for words. It had started out as a normal day for him, waking up next to Anna, going into work, having one of their daily fights. he had been looking forward to their make-up session only, Anna was no where in sight and he had just woken up three hours ago in a small room in a house that overlooked a street that bore no resemblance to anywhere in SoCal. No that he'd been around all of California but the license plate on the lone car parked below was not a US plate and the sign on the shop or restaurant across the street is most definitely not in the English language. He looks through his pockets again but knows that his phone is not with him. The room's also relatively sparse with no phone and he's tried to shout out the window but its double glazed and nailed shut. He's really not sure what the hell he's doing here and more importantly how he got here. The last thing he remembered was trying to start an argument with the European guy who had been hitting on Anna. He knew it was childish but he had to fight for his woman. The problem was that the guy had just stood there and suddenly, taken out a gun and shot him. Morgan had thought it would have hurt more but realized that it was a tranquilizer dart and the only thing he could think of as he faded away was the fact that he really should have listened to Anna and let this one slide. He feels quite thirsty and tries the door again only to have it open as he reaches for the handle. Morgan jumps back just in time and immediately goes into panic mode as he notices the guns and the video camera pointed at him. He recognizes the Eurotrash that hit on Anna but it's the big dude that has him scared. He like a cross between Dolph Lundgren in Rocky and Jaws from the James Bond movies, he's like Jaws Lundgren.

"Its good you are awake, Mr Bartowski." Alexei had been given very specific instructions to obtain two things from his captive, one a video of him alive and the the other a plea to one Sarah Walker to save him.

If Morgan was confused before, he's absolutely freaking flabbergasted currently "What?", they think he's Chuck but not only is he not Chuck but why would they want Chuck in the first place. "I'm..you know..not, What?" he repeats. He really does not want to get into full panic mode but almost screams when Jaws Lundgren pulls him into a choke hold and forces him into a chair. The handcuffs bite into his wrists and all he can think of is that he's too young to die but then so is Chuck.

"We need you to look into the camera Mr Bartowski and tell your associate Agent Walker that she will need to co-operate fully"

"What?" Morgan's voice is already two octaves higher than normal and about to climb higher. Who the hell is Agent Walker and then it hits him, Sarah. They're talking about Sarah and they think he's Chuck but for the life of him, he just does not understand what he needs to do. The punch to his gut catches him by surprise and he doubles over only to have Jaws pull his head up. "Ok, ok man, ok, so I'm Chuck and you want…you want me to tell Sarah..I mean Agent Walker to co-operate, right dude? I can…do that..I mean..yeah, ok" Morgan's never been stupid and he knows he's in over his head and somehow his best bud and his wife are in trouble. He's also never been the brave sort. Even during junior high, Chuck was the one who saved him from being beaten up on a daily basis. Now though, it seems that his buddy is in trouble and it's up to him to protect Chuck and maybe Sarah as well. He's not sure what she's an agent of but he knows Chuck loves her would want to protect her. He looks into the camera they've set up, "Hey, Agent Walker, it's me, um, Chu, um Charles and you need to do as these nice men say , ok um, please." He sees Eurotrash nod at Jaws and thinks its over so he does not expect the hard blow to his head as he slumps over the chair.

"Send the tape to Herr Benkhofer, I believe he would like to begin his own plans".

**Poppelsdorf, Bonn (12.****35am, 29****th**** October 2009)**

Chuck's standing in the alleyway between the houses and notes that it's surprisingly clean, perhaps its just a European thing. Casey's already done his reconnaissance and thinks Morgan's being held in a room off to the side, facing the main road. These old houses have been divided into smaller apartments and the top floor apartment belongs to Orlov. He sees Casey signal to him from the fire escape and he slowly climbs up, trying to make as little noise as possible. The landing on the top floor curves slightly around the building and Chuck peers into the window and finally feels slightly better since he got the call from Anna.

The windowpane is dirty but he can see Morgan handcuffed to the chair, his head slumped over. Chuck scans the room for electronic surveillance and does not register any while Casey begins to pry the window open, the nails making soft popping sounds as he forces the crowbar upwards. Casey signals to Chuck to stay outside as he climbs into the room. Morgan hasn't stirred and the small trickle of blood along his temple probably indicates he'll be out for some time. Casey does not want to overstay his welcome and cuts through the handcuffs, throws Morgan over his shoulder and makes for the window in a span of ninety seconds.

Morgan thinks he's dreaming again as he's jolted upwards and then ends up upside down. he tries to open his eyes and only sees darkness. He thinks it's time to panic again and tries to turn, only his head hurts and the blurry sight of Chuck clad in black takes him by surprise that he let's out a yelp. Chuck's hand quickly covers his mouth and he thinks he's dreaming but the pain and the smell of Chuck's leather gloves are too real.

"Morgan, you have to trust me, ok, we're getting you out of here" Chuck slowly removing his hand when Morgan nods. Morgan finally notices that the person carrying him in a fireman's carry is John Casey. He decides not to complain when Casey accidentally hits his head on the final descend down the narrow stairway.

Only when they're safely back in the car does Morgan finally speak, "Chuck?" The question is implicit and Chuck slowly turns to Morgan unsure of what exactly to say. Unlike Devon, who did love Chuck like a brother but had always been disappointed in Chuck's life choices, Morgan's always been a huge supporter of everything Chuck did. He was family and although Chuck knew of the dangers of telling Morgan anything, he figured that he owed him at least some explanation.

"Hey Buddy, sorry you got involved. See, um, John and I sort of work for the government and "

"And Sarah too?" Morgan interrupts, not completely sure of where the conversation is going but slowly beginning to realize that Chuck's about to tell him something that would probably explain the ninja assassin, Sarah's Porsche, John's weird attachment to Chuck and probably the destroyed reception hall at Ellie's wedding.

"Yeah, buddy, Sarah too. We're a team"

"Like we use to be?" Morgan always knew Chuck would finally outgrow him as it was only a matter of time. He had resigned himself himself to the fact when Chuck had first got together with Sarah and began to spend less time with him, although in light of the new revelation, he probably was off on a mission as oppose to just making out with Sarah. When Chuck had married Sarah, he was all set to also start his own life with Anna in Hawaii. Then Sarah had to leave and he could not abandon Chuck so they stayed and started working together, again knowing at the back of his mind that it was only until Sarah came back.

"We're family, Morgan" And he finally sees Morgan understands that things have changed so drastically in their lives but the one aspect that will never change is the fact that they really are family.

"Ok" Morgan has a million questions in his mind like does Chuck have a codename or what kind of weapon does he carry and if he gets a good dental plan but he suddenly remembers the message he had been ask to record. "Chuck, they have Sarah, I think they wanted to use me, I mean you to get her to do stuff". He sees the pained look on Chuck's face and it dawns on him that Chuck already knows. "We need to go get her, man"

"Agent Walker is a trained professional and we will be providing her with full assistance when the time comes. You will be dropped off at the nearest airport and taken to a safehouse in Las Vegas" Casey's driving as fast as he can on the autobahn reveling in the fact that there are no speed limits. He's already sent a message to General Beckman requesting that all civilian employees at the Dongle be rounded up and corralled in a safehouse until the mission is over. "You will not reveal anything you've learnt tonight and just enjoy a fully government paid holiday you happen to have won, with your colleagues and girlfriend"

Morgan notices that Chuck's been real quiet and he's not sure what to say to make it better. He still does not have a full understanding of Chuck's double life but he knows enough to realize that even if a lot of the past two years have been a lie, Chuck's relationship with Sarah had probably been the most truest thing. "You're really married to her, huh? It's not a cover"

"Yeah, we really are married"

"So, you'll do your thing and we'll be waiting in Vegas to celebrate your homecoming, right?"

"Yeah buddy, we'll see you in Vegas." It's not a lie if you believe it to be true. They never did get their honeymoon and Vegas was a good place as any. Besides Morgan's rescue had been relatively easy so he had no reason to believe that their plan would also not succeed. Perhaps things were finally looking up.

**The End**


	9. Chuck vs TAOW Tactical Dispositions

Thanks again for the reviews, keep them coming :). It really is great to know people are reading the story and it makes me want to write faster. HHope you like the next part, its the fall out from the Morgan rescue. Four parts down, nine to go!

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

*** IV. Tactical Dispositions **

**Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (1.31am, 29th October 2009)**

Felix can hear the phone ringing as he slowly makes his way towards the downstairs parlor. He had just done a walk through of the house, avoiding any guards and finally managed to find out where they had taken Agent Walker. He had immediately transmitted that information to Cole. He was tempted to go and talk to her to see if she was ok but knew it would not be wise as her room would most probably be bugged. He had been impressed by her skills as well as her current tenacity in going through with the harebrained plan despite knowing that they'll be isolated from their team. She seemed to have great faith in her husband, Chuck. He seemed a nice enough fellow, different from Cole and Casey but he did have to admit that Cole had been right in his assessment that the two of them were in love. Right now though, he can hear Rainer's voice, belligerent and loud.

"What do you mean he's gone?", the accompanying curse words in German almost too fast for Felix to catch. "The video is not good enough, I need to cause him pain. She needs to suffer because he does."

Felix hears Rainer slam down the phone. He almost doe not have time to duck around the corner as Rainer barrels out of the room and goes upstairs, a laptop held under his arm. He's most probably going to Agent Walker's room, the problem was what he was going to do there.

Rainer was livid. He had been expecting Alexei's call in order to give him further instructions as to how to begin with Charles Bartowski's torture, only to be told that he had miraculously vanished from a locked room. For a supposedly low level analyst, it would seem that he had friends in high enough places to assist in his escape. he still had the video though and could at least threaten Sarah Walker with it.

She was sitting on the cot when he opened the door, not moving except for her eyes which were tracking his movement. He opened the laptop and placed it on the table, cuing the video and letting it play.

Sarah does not move from her position but takes a deep breath hoping that what's on the video is not going to be difficult to watch. She's always been good at keeping her emotions in check. However, it's never worked with Chuck. The video is surprisingly clear and when it focuses on the person in the chair, Sarah's taken by surprise. It's not Chuck, but Morgan whose bound to the chair and looking really scared. She closes her eyes when she hears his voice.

"Hey, Agent Walker, it's me, um, Chu, um Charles and you need to do as these nice men say , ok um, please."

Morgan really is an innocent in this and now he's been pulled in. She forces herself to watch as Morgan pleads. She sees him being hit and hopes that that is the worse he has suffered thus far. Sarah knows that Chuck would never forgive himself if Morgan got hurt and she's powerless to stop anything currently. The only gambit open to her is use her current skills to convince Benkhofer of his wrong assumption. "What do you want" her voice is flat, emotionless, not betraying the guilt and fear she's feeling.

"I want you to suffer, to feel pain but you see, I have a problem as you are also quite a valuable commodity currently" He can see that she has been affected by the video but again she does not reveal much else. He does not like having to hold off from killing her but there is a bigger plan afoot that he must adhere to.

"He's just an analyst I work with" Sarah does not have much choice but to play along.

"So closely that you changed your beneficiary in your will" Rainer knows she has no family except for a delinquent father that she has not acknowledged in years.

Sarah let's out a harsh laugh, "Have you checked how many times I've done that?" She's hoping that the derision in her voice adds weight to her words. She does not like to belittle Morgan but it's his only chance. luckily, unlike the time Chuck had to do it, this time, Morgan's not there to see this. "Have you seen him? Do you think he would really matter to me? They're nice to you, ensure better flights, surveillance equipment, more back-up. All it takes is a smile and a promise that they're the one that you'll come back to when your career is over. " She knows that the past records are completely purged and he would not be able to check if she's changed it before.

"He will die" Benkhofer can feel the anger rise in him again and grabs Sarah by her shoulder, seeing her wince as he presses down on her wound. For the life of him, he cannot tell if she's lying or telling some semblance of the truth. His anger is compounded by the fact that he cannot kill this Chuck Bartowski anyway. he needs a new plan but right now, he cannot think through his red haze of anger. He presses down harder and is rewarded with a small hiss of pain from the woman.

Sarah does not react until the end when she let's out a small sound..She's still very lucid though as her left hand slowly removes one of the knives from the sling. She can't afford for him to leave the room and give the order to kill Morgan. She does not want to give up now, not when they're so close, not when she can almost guarantee a free life for herself and Chuck. However, she can hear his voice echoing in her head. "Morgan's family". he had been there for Chuck before she came along and was there for him after she had left. She could not in good conscience leave him in harms way. They'd have to find a new plan to get to the Ring, she readies herself for all hell to break loose but before she can fully draw it out, she hears someone at the door.

Felix has been eavesdropping at the door for sometime and knows that he has to do something. Rainer seems to have a vendetta against Sarah and that meas emotions played a bigger part than logic. Their entire plan rested on the fact that they thought he would lead them to the Inner Circle of the Ring but now it seems that Rainer Benkhofer was also trying to extract some sort of revenge on Sarah and that was most certainly not expected. He could kill Rainer now and escape with Sarah or he could improvise and hope that Cole would understand "Herr Benkhofer, I have something to tell you"

Rainer does not want to let go, he wants to see the woman hurt but it would seem that despite the small moan,, she was not going to give him the pleasure of reacting further. He had yet to find her weak point and he's running out of time. He knows her usefulness is only short lived.

"What is it?" He finally releases Sarah, pushing her back on the bed.

"At the warehouse where I captured her, she was accompanied by an SIS agent. They seemed close"

Sarah looks at Felix, not sure where he's going with his conversation and reaches for her knife only to notice his imperceptible shake of his head. She's hesitant, not wanting to place Morgan's life in further danger but also understanding that she still does not have the whole picture and that Felix's current ploy indicates that Benkhofer is still trying to find someone to use against her. It could mean either he believes her about Morgan not being important or that he may not have Morgan anymore. She hopes it's the latter and wants confirmation from Felix but knows she has to just trust him. She does not like betting with Morgan's life but does not have a choice now as Benkhofer moves out of range.

"You know who he is? Where to find him?" Benkhofer was still not convinced of Agent Walker's story but no matter, one way or another, he would ensure that his brother's death was avenged by making her suffer first. "Leave at once, you have thirty six hours to bring him here, alive but not necessarily unhurt."

Felix hesistates before he answers and scratches his ear like he has an itch. He can't leave Sarah here, not when he now knows of Benkhofer's ulterior motive in capturing her. Cole would have his hide and he's pretty sure Chuck would shoot him. "Herr Benkhofer, I appreciate your offer but I am inclined to kill the man on account of the problems he gave me in Sttugatt."

"Herr Metzger, you offered your help and I have accepted, do not disappoint me" Rainer turns to leave, expecting Metzger to follow.

As Felix passes by the bed, he surreptitiously drops his ear transmitter next to her and mouths "Chuck's ok" as he looks down, ensuring that his back is to the camera positioned on the wall. He wants to give her some sort of assurance that he'll be back but knows that he cannot. He winks at her, sees her nod slightly and is relieved that she's still part of the plan.

Sarah leans back on the cot and closes her eyes. She does not show any emotion

**CIA**** Safehouse outside Baden Baden (3.02am 29th October 2009)**

"I love you" The words are said so softly that Chuck almost misses them. He knows that its from Felix's transmitter but cannot comprehend why it's Sarah's soft voice coming through. It takes all his will power not to leave the house and drive to the Chateau but he knows that if she wanted him there, it would be a different message he would have heard. He answers back in kind despite knowing she cannot hear him.

They had just dropped Morgan off at the military airport and he had been so impressed when the officer there had saluted both Casey and Chuck. Chuck had never wanted to involve Morgan in his spy life but knew that he would keep his secret even from Anna. Despite their differences (and there were plenty), Morgan had always been there for Chuck when it mattered. He had been there when his mom left, when he got kicked out of Stanford and when Sarah had to leave. Even now, knowing that Chuck was leading a double life did not phase him and before he boarded the plane, had told Chuck that he always knew that he was meant for greater things and that Sarah was lucky to have him.

Right now though, Chuck's really not sure if that was a correct assessment especially in light of the recent message from Sarah for which he could not even reply in kind. Cole had left a few messages and was planning to meet them as soon as they returned. He had alluded to a slight hitch in their plans but would not tell him what it entailed, just that he was heading back to the safehouse and for them to be ready when he got there. He had wanted to go straight back to their base outside the Chateau but Casey insisted that they needed some rest and then Cole's messages had come in. Right now, all Chuck could think about was that he was still breaking his promise to Sarah about being close by. He knew that she was probably used to plans changing on a whim but he did not like taking any chances when her life was on the line. He will never ever be comfortable with betting on any of their lives, not even Casey's or Cole's. He looks over at Casey who's stretched out on the couch in the corner. He knows that Casey's also worried about Sarah but like a professional, he's still able to distance himself enough to grab some rest. Chuck does not have that luxury and would prefer not to. He looks at his Orion wristpad again and stares at the pulsing red dot. It's his only link to Sarah, the pulse of her tracking device, symbolizing the beating of her heart. He closes his eyes, not to sleep but to picture her in his head the morning of their wedding. It was his totem memory, the one he turned to when he wants to calm himself. It's also the one that enables him to focus and access the Intersect, not all the information by choice but if he focuses enough, he can access building plans, past dossiers photographs and the like. He's still having trouble forcing a physical flash and knows that its currently only possible when Sarah's there and even more so when she's in peril. But all in all, it's still good progress. This time, he's trying to access her pictures in the Intersect, the one of her taken as she entered Von Hayes residence is a particular favorite. She always looked good in red. His thoughts again distracted when he sees Cole and to his immense surprise, Felix enter the safehouse.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Chuck's on his feet, his voice loud enough to wake Casey up.

Cole had briefed Felix on the mix up with Morgan and his rescue. The problem was the new information on Benkhofer's hatred of Sarah and whether he would ignore her usefulness as the Intersect in order to extract revenge. Cole can see how emotional Chuck is and knows that he would call off the mission if he

"Relax, old boy, she's ok for now but we have bigger issues to deal with" Felix does not like the turn of events and knows that he had literally put Cole into a no win situation. The entire plan was going to hell and to make matters worse, he was the one who offered Cole to Benkhofer and would now have to deliver him despite knowing that Benkhofer was going to cause Cole pain to get back at Sarah. It was a bloody mess and he needed a drink.

"It seems that your rescue effort though well timed, has resulted in unhinging Benkhofer. He seems to have a vendetta against Agent Walker and wants to hurt her, not physically, at least not yet". This was definitely his own wistful thinking currently but he does not want to cause more grief to Chuck, at least not yet. They still had time to modify their plans and Cole was still certain that they could still salvage the situation and had made Felix promise to reveal only what was necessary to move forward with bringing Cole in.

Chuck visibly blanches at his words, his flash had not highlighted any connection between Sarah and Benkhofer and the main reason he had been willing to agree to Sarah being delivered into Benkhofer's hands was the fact that he though they would consider the Intersect too valuable to hurt. "We need to get her out." Chuck states adamantly, already walking towards the door.

Cole figured as much and stands his ground, "There is another way. Benkhofer wants me as leverage on Sarah. It would mean both Felix and I would be able to provide back up inside." Cole was in no way trying to be a martyr but he knows that the odds are still somewhat in their favor. He's not looking forward to being tortured but they've already worked out that Sarah has to be transferred to Zurich at the end of the month as that was where the Circle was likely to meet. Felix also only has to deliver him to Benkhofer the morning of the 31st. It 's definitely still a gamble as to whether he would be killed immediately but again, the odds were that Benkhofer would torture him in front of Sarah in order to cause her pain for as long as possible. Then they would need to transfer Sarah anyway and by then, Cole could escape and join the rest as they waited for the Circle to meet. "Look, we could go in now but all we'd have is Benkhofer and Sarah would still be a target. We can still end this. She's come this far. If she wanted out, she'd have said something"

Chuck truly hates these grey decisions, knowing that some sacrifice is always being called for and just accepting the collateral damage as part of the job. He knows Cole's decision is unconditional and driven by his own sense of duty but he cannot help but feel guilty that his initial act of downloading the Intersect started all this in the first place. He used to be happy with putting the blame on Bryce in the early days, always knowing that he was the innocent in all the power plays with the various factions within and outside the US Government. The problem here was that he had finally made a decision and is now seeing all the ripples and repercussions that it has caused. Worse yet, he knows that it is still not the end, far from it. Chuck wonders how many more people need to get hurt because of him. Morgan and Sarah were already on the list and he had been lucky that they were still alive but he really wasn't sure if his luck would last for much longer.

"She won't like it if you die" Chuck's very sure of Sarah's love for him but he also knows that she's fiercely loyal to those she considers friends and family. It was why she would always help Carina despite the problems she inevitably brought with her or why she would actually consent to Morgan throwing them a pre-wedding celebration at Benihana because he really wanted to check out the knives their chefs were using. "We'll be ready to go in if there's even a hint of it going south. No arguments."

Cole finally understood Sarah's choice. It wasn't easy to admit that the better man won, especially since he was the one risking his life but he can see that Chuck is not taking the decision lightly. He would abort the entire mission not only for Sarah but also for Cole. It spoke volumes as to what type of man Chuck Bartowski was. Sarah was lucky to have him and Cole needed to ensure she got back to Chuck safely, it was the least he could do.

**The End**

**Next up Chuck vs The Art of War V Energy. THanks for reading and please leave a review on your way out :) (pretty please)  
**


	10. Chuck vs The Art of War Energy

Hello again, see reviews do make me write faster :). Anyway, thanks for reading and liking the twists (prepare for more though). This one takes a bit of a break from the arc and let's Sarah get a breather although it does get back to the story in the end. I like to hear your thoughts on where you think this is going so review and tell me :)

This is for all the charah fans and I hope you like it...

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**V. Energy (Interlude)**

**_5.02 am 2nd May 2009 _**

_Sarah wakes up first, the sun's not quite risen as yet and she knows that it'll be about an hour more before it 's does. She does not want to look at the clock, knowing that time's moving on, counting down to her actually having to leave him. Right now though, Sarah decides not to move as she doesn't want to wake Chuck up and is content to just lie there and look at him. She knows that it's going to be really busy in a few hours and this is probably going to be the last quiet moment of the day before all the madness starts up again. She's almost sorry that she has to wake him knowing that he only got to bed a few hours before. _

_She had warned Morgan and Casey not to get him too drunk and to be honest, they had complied. She just mis-estimated Jeff and Lester's propensity for taking things a bit too far and did not think they would have spiked Chuck's drinks with seventy proof grain alcohol. When Casey had carried Chuck through the door, he heart had almost stopped, thinking the worst had happened. Only when the Thomson Twits and Morgan entered after, still singing at the top of their voices, did she realize Chuck was just passed out and not hurt. It took all her skill to hide her gun as quickly and discreetly as possible before they noticed. Even then, Casey could not hide his smirk at her over-reaction. _

_Still, she took great pleasure in giving Casey and the others a piece of her mind and suffice it to say that she was a bit glad that Chuck was passed out as she threatened them with great bodily injury if Chuck was not ok for their wedding. At least Casey, Jeff and Morgan had the decency to look contrite although Lester probably would have too, if he hadn't fainted when Sarah threatened his manhood (twice). Casey proceeded to put Chuck in their room and dragged the guys out soon after and she was left with the hope that the few hours left was just enough for Chuck to recover. _

_"Heyyyyyy, Beautiful, do you know you look absolutely stunning and I am the luckiest guy in the world" Chuck's vision is definitely not a hundred per cent but even if he were blind, he could still see the beauty that was Sarah Walker. He'll never get over the fact that they're finally together, no lies or deception between them. He has to hope that despite what's going to occur, they'll always remember their way back to each other._

_Sarah Walker has never giggled in her adult life but that one line broke through years of agent training and she let out a giggle which apparently only egged Chuck on, "Shhh, it's true, you're actually marrying me despite you know me being me." When Chuck had admonished Morgan about not testing Anna because she loved him despite Morgan being Morgan, he had also been thinking about himself. He was not with Sarah then and in Chuck's mind, it was because Sarah was always meant for better things. He always assumed that for her to be with him, she would have to settle for something less that she was worth. He knows he's being selfish here and now but he does not care anymore. He'll love her forever and will try and make it up to her everyday of his life._

_"What?" Sarah's taken by surprise at his words._

_"You know, I'm just Chuck Bartowski and you're well, you're you!" He states it so factually like he's used to it and has accepted the difference even though he can't understand it. _

_Sarah's unsure of what to say since she's pretty sure that she is the one who should be questioning if she truly deserves what Chuck is offering._

_He sees her hesitate and thinks she's bound to have second thoughts, "I'm not Bryce" he starts, only to realize perhaps that it's the wrong thing to say as he sees her physically recoil at his words._

_"I…" She's never wanted him to be Bryce but she's also never really explained about Bryce to Chuck. It wasn't that she didn't want to rehash the past but that she never compared Chuck to Bryce. They were just so different in her mind. Bryce represented her facade, the roles she had to play and he added context to that. She had always felt empty and Bryce could never see that. Chuck was different, he defined her in the way that made her feel special, not because of her skills with a gun or with languages but because he saw her as what she always wanted to be but could never articulate._

_"I thought he was the first person to see me, only he was always looking at Agent Walker" She's not really explaining it well, but it's difficult to explain about not having an identity and only being defined by a name not even of your own choice. When Graham had offered his hand and the identity of Sarah Walker, she knew that it was another role and not who she was or wanted to be. But it had been her only choice then. Likewise, dating Bryce was the path of least resistance since he knew what she was like in the field, had watched her back and did not look further than was necessary. _

_"You..you see… me" The last word said softly but with conviction. How does she explain that he's allowed her to define herself in his presence, that because of his acceptance of her without judgment, that she's finally begun to accept herself. "I don't want Bryce, I want you, if you'll have me". She's still not really sure he should go through with this considering he does not know about her past or even her real name. She looks at him, with so much fear in her eyes only to be confronted by hope in his. "My past…" she's not really sure where to start. She could tell him about moving from town to town after her mom's death or the number of people her father had conned with her help. Or she could start with her recruitment into the CIA by Graham and the path she had chosen from then, to always be whom someone else wanted, fragments of herself, never really coalescing into someone whole. Sarah Walker was just a name until she met Chuck and became a person._

_Chuck's still a bit woozy from all the alcohol he did not know he had been imbibing last night, but he knows that this is one of those defining moments in their relationship. They haven't had that many but they've also haven't acknowledge their relationship until recently so they're off to a good start. He wants to remember every minute of this in fine detail so he'll be able to recount to their grand kids, one day, about how he convinced Sarah Walker that they really deserved each other._

_ "I thought that I had started living when I finally went off to college and then met Bryce and Jill. It was what I thought I deserved after… well after having my mom leave and then dad just not be there." As much as he wanted Sarah to talk about her past, he realized that he had never shared much of his own either. "And then I got kicked out and Jill dumped me and I just stopped."_

_Sarah knew all this and had even contemplated giving Jill more than a warning when she had come back into Chuck's life. She does not like to see him hurt and would do anything to prevent that._

_"But" Chuck pauses, knowing that this is what he had always needed to say to finally convince her. "I've come to realize that I've only been living since I've met you. Everything in the past was just rehearsal for this. You give me the energy to do anything, fly helicopters, download intersects, bring down shadowy cabal organizations bent on ruling the world. You know, the life I was meant to have, but only with you." He sees the fear in her eyes finally fade away. _

_"I play the violin", She wants him to know things that she's proud of and that makes her, his Sarah Walker. She realizes she has her whole life to do that so she's just going to start slow, "And I prefer the right side of the bed and we need to get up in an hour so we better rest so we'll actually have the energy to make it through the wedding". It's a start for her to share herself and she knows he accepts her regardless. She never wanted Bryce, had settled for him because she did not know what she truly deserved until now._

_Chuck smiles, he's still tired and not quite sober and still recovering for his injuries but just being here with her, makes everything fade away. He leans in close and kisses her, softly at first and then with more passion. He needs to show her that she's everything to him, she's what sustains him and gives him the impetus to live. He does not want to rest for the next hour and instead wants to reenergize himself with the essence of Sarah Walker. Time has never been on their side but that will not mean that he won't make full use of it, memorizing the planes and curves of her body, ensuring that she becomes an inextricable part of his consciousness always. He looks at her and sees the need reflected in her eyes. Perhaps this is what they really need right now, no more verbal declarations but to join together physically and show each other their commitment and love._

**Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (3.02am, 29th October 2009)**

Sarah opens her eyes, knowing she's not going to see Chuck there but energized by the memory nonetheless. She knows since that day, she's never needed any reassurance of Chuck's love for her but she wants to reciprocate, hoping he's there. She's on the bed and turns over to face the wall just in case. The transmitter is in her ear and she knows that its probably not wise to say anything but she needs the verbal affirmation. In the softest voice possible, she whispers, "I love you".

She has to have faith that he is listening and that they've done the right thing in either planning to rescue Morgan or already in the process of doing so. Felix's offer to bring in Cole gave her some measure of comfort that perhaps Morgan's captivity may have been short lived anyway. She knows that if he's heard her message, he'll probably answer her and that gives her strength. She's not afraid of her current situation despite Benkhofer's threats to her safety. He still thinks she's the intersect and as much as that knowledge protects her, it also damns her if anything happens to Chuck. His safety has always been her primary concern over all else and must remain so. Benkhofer thinks Morgan is Chuck and hopefully has been convinced by her that he had meant nothing. However, when Felix returned with Cole, she knew that he would be used to punish her. Sarah has dealt with despots before and recognizes the trait in Benkhofer. He hides behind a sheen of respectability but sooner or later, his mask slips. She had seen his true nature a few hours ago and knows that sooner or later it will rear its ugly head again. She had to be ready for that as she does not want Cole to suffer either. She can feel the three small knives hidden in her sling and knows what she would have to do to force Benkhofer's hand, she's not looking forward to the pain but it's her only choice.

**The End**

**Next up **

**Chuck vs The Art of War **

**VI. Weak Points and Strong**

**five down, eight to go! Pls Review on your way out ;)  
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	11. Chuck vs TAOW Weak Points & Strong

**A/N - **So here we are about coming to halfway through Chuck vs The Art of War. I an actually quite enjoying writing all the parts out and seeing how it changes from what I initially imagined in my head! Anyway, hope you're still enjoying the story. Thank you so much for the reviews, I really, really do enjoy getting them so please keep them coming.

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**VI. Weak Points and Strong **

**CIA**** Safehouse outside Baden Baden (11.32am 30th October 2009)**

Casey and Cole are sparring in the other room and Chuck can hear them talking in low tones. He knows he should go in there and discuss more contingency plans just in case. But right now, all he really wants to do is to listen to the transmitter hoping she'd say something. He knows she's not going to, but he wants to be there just in case. Chuck knows that she's probably berating herself for the slip she had earlier but he's glad that she did. He wonders what she's thinking at times like this, whether she's strategising in her head about next steps and if so, whether she has time to think of him. He knows it's selfish to think like that. He remembers the question he had asked her the day she left and right now, he would really like to know the answer, not for his edification but to know that he's helping her by just being there. On his side, he hasn't stopped thinking about her since they met. it wasn't a 24/7 thing but just the fact that she's always in his thoughts, coded into his consciousness. He looks once again, at the radio, hoping for some sound.

At least they've brought her food and she's eating. He's already had breakfast with her or at least had his own MRE when they had brought her something this morning. Casey had grunted as he walked past (grunt no. 65, She can't hear you moron), but it didn't matter. For the first time in six months, he knew exactly where Sarah was and for the time being, also knew that she was not being hurt or hunted (at least not yet). He knows he should be in the other room, but he just can't make himself leave her, not anymore.

Casey swings, going for Cole's bum arm but the British agent is good and he ducks and sweeps his leg, taking Casey down.

"They're going to hurt you to get back at Walker" Casey's not just making conversation. He's actually curious as to Barker's motivation here. He's read his file, ever since Walker downloaded it the last time they had met in LA. He knows the type, kind of like Bryce but with less prick qualities.

"They're going to try", Cole's trying to find Casey's weak points. it's always been a talent of his, has worked well for him in the past in planning his escapes. He has no doubt in his mind that Benkhofer's going to torture him but likewise, he's also confident of surviving it and winning in the end.

"She's in love with Bartowski, nothing's going to change that." Casey does not believe he's having this conversation currently. He didn't want to go there but the guy had a right to know especially if he was going to put his life on the line. Walker took a bloody long time to admit her feelings but once she did, nothing was going to stop her. Casey's up on his feet, circling round Cole, intending to take him down directly.

"Who are you, her father?" Cole's actually surprised that Casey's brought it up. He knows that Casey's just going to ram into him and decides to let him. The impact forces him into the wall but as he had not put up any resistance, he's ready to hit back and knees Casey in his stomach.

Casey doubles over, "I'm her partner." It's the only explanation he's willing to give. Walker had watched his back and he's just doing his job here. "What are you getting out of this?"

Cole's decided he's had enough, of the sparring and the interrogation but he also knows that he probably owes both Chuck and Casey an explanation. It's not like he hasn't asked himself the exact same question and Felix most certainly has. He extends his arm to Casey, pulling him up. "It's the right thing to do."

Casey sees Chuck come into the room and knows he's at least heard the last part of the conversation.

"They've brought her lunch, I'm just gonna.." he trails off to the MREs stacked in the corner, knowing that Casey thinks he's just going soft again, mooning over Sarah and wasting months of training and time that could be better spent sparring, like Cole.

"We're going to get her back" Cole cannot empathize with Chuck. To be perfectly honest, he's probably never felt anything akin to what Chuck's going through. He's always like to win and accepts that to do so, collateral damage is necessary. He can see Chuck struggling with that decision and wonders if he'll ever get over it. Cole knows that if he doesn't, it will eventually affect the mission. Cole only hopes that the effect will not be a negative one.

Chuck nods, knowing that Cole means what he says and he's actually more surprise at Casey's remarks than at Cole's. He knows that Casey had always been more comfortable leading a unit and the hierarchical military set up and that the Intersect assignment would never have been his first choice. Chuck knows that and he's tried his best to learn from Casey; hand to hand combat, precision shooting, even rudimentary bomb rigging. The only thing he refuses to do is to switch off his emotions. Casey has repeatedly drilled into him the necessity to do that but it's just a lesson he cannot learn. Right now though, he's glad that for all of Casey's bluster, he's still looking out for Sarah in his own way. "Thanks." Chuck directs the comment at the two men standing before him, knowing that they'll both understand what he's thanking them for.

**Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (12.31am, 31th October 2009)**

Felix is once again driving towards the castle with a prisoner in the back seat. As before, he needs to get into character and has not spoken to Cole since he got into the car. The problem here is that he just does not have a good feeling about what's going to happen next. Even at the safehouse, he just could not shake the bad feeling and because of it, had armed himself with a bigger gun and accepted a vest from Casey. He knows what they have planned to happen, but ever since this bloody mission had started, things really did not go according to the plan. He's been in worse situations before but most of the time, Cole had been there to bail him out. Right now though, he's the reason why Cole's being delivered to Rainer.

Felix finally pulls up at the end of the driveway, the lights in the Chateau have not been extinguished and he knows that Benkhofer has been waiting for this. He had sent numerous messages to Felix asking when delivery would be made, had threatened to send someone else for the retrieval job if Felix had not returned by midnight. He's already late but he knows that the longer he waits, the less time Rainer has to torture Cole before they leave for Zurich.

Felix grunts as he lifts Cole onto his shoulder. They had agreed that Cole would pretend to be unconscious, the scalp wound courtesy of Chuck's make-up skills. He was slightly amazed that the lad could create such a realistic wound but the explanation of ComiCon costumes and Morgan's propensity for reenacting some scene from Serenity, just went over his head. He walks up the steps and through the front door and is surprised to see Benkhofer waiting for him in the foyer, two guards flanking him.

"I was beginning to think that this was beyond your skill set." Rainer could not wait to begin. He had been tempted to just take some of his frustration out on the Intersect but had to control himself, knowing that the greater prize laid before him and he needed to present her to the Circle, unharmed. He had waited so long for his turn, had planned every step and knew what he needed to do. He would not throw it away so easily. However, that did not mean that he would not be able to get some revenge. Capturing a British agent was definitely a liability to the Ring and could open them up for some retaliation from the SIS. Using Carl Metzger made that possibility a bit more remote but at this point Rainer did not care. Besides, he was not going to be here for long, they had to move to Zug by morning and therefore Rainer only had a few hours to see how much pain he could make Barker endure while enjoying the Intersect's suffering at having to witness it. "Bring him downstairs and chain him up and see what you can do to revive him. Otto will get our other guest."

Felix followed one of the guards downstairs. He had hoped that Benkhofer would not want to start immediately but that did not seem to be the case. The more Felix spent in his presence, the more he realized that the man was truly insane. Felix reached the end of the hallway and was led into a room, chains hanging from the ceiling, the walls lines with various weapons and tools, all of which had seen some usage.

Sarah's laying on the cot when she hears the door open. She knows it's time and wonders if she should leave the transmitter in the room. She does not want Chuck to hear anything but also knows that he's as much part of the team as Casey and Cole are. She hopes though that he understands what she needs to do.

She's roughly pulled up from the cot and almost loses her balance, the guard not caring one way or another as he drags her out of the room. She can see Rainer waiting at the foot of the stairs, a smile on his face that chills her to the bone. Sarah really wants to use her knives now, to stop this before it gets out of hand. She does not know what he has planned and does not want to find out. However, she also knows that they are so close to ending this once and for all, that she has to have faith in her team as much as they have to have faith that she knows what she has to do if things get bad.

Rainer does not want to acknowledge his brother's murderer. He looks into her eyes and he does not see any fear and that makes him even more incensed. He roughly grabs her arm and pushes her in front of him as he prods her towards the stairs. Sarah again almost stumbles but she does not want to give Benkhofer the satisfaction and she regains her footing while slowly palming a knife in the right hand.

When she finally enters the room, she sees Felix standing in a corner, smoking a cigarette, leaning against a large wooden cabinet and Cole suspended from chains from the ceiling. It's a bit of déjà vu for her as she recalls their encounter in LA. He's still unconscious although she can tell he's faking and she hopes that that would delay whatever scheme Benkhofer has in mind. Sarah's pushed towards a chair six feet from where Cole is suspended. Sarah needs to play a different part now as she finally let's some fear show on her face, making sure that Benkhofer sees it. She can see his smile widen at this new development.

She's finally pushed into the chair and the one good thing about it is that her sling has made them complacent and they do not tie her down. Rainer does not waste anytime and instructs the guards to wake Cole up with smelling salts and a bucket of water. He then proceeds to one of the cases and chooses the Georgian Khanjali.

It is as beautiful as it is deadly and Felix can't help the thinking the same about Sarah. He's noticed her as soon as she was brought into the room. He had hoped to try and warn her but its too late. Things are going to get worse and he hates the fact that they are all just going to be observers in Benkhofer's perverse game.

Cole opens his eye and groans for Benkhofer's benefit, he sees Sarah sitting before him and is relieved that she looks fine. She looks into his eyes and he realizes that she's planning something. He wants to signal to her that its unnecessary but does not have the time as Rainer fills his vision before punching him in the gut with the handle of the knife.

He winces again for Benkhofer's benefit. it's not that it wasn't a painful blow but Cole's had worse. He does not look at Sarah, not wanting to give Benkhofer the satisfaction. The next blow is to his kidneys and then to the fake wound on his head. Felix draws back the hilt and hits Cole at the side of his mouth, this time drawing real blood.

Felix can see the blows escalating but knows he cannot do anything. He sees Rainer draw the dagger out of his sheath and thinks that its going to get much worse but he cannot walk away. He does not expect the next words to be directed at him though.

"Herr Metzger, would you be so kind?"

All Felix sees is the hilt of the dagger being offered to him. He does not want to take it, cannot bring himself to extend his hand knowing what is actually being offered to him.

Cole spits out some blood and addresses Benkhofer, "What's the matter?...Afraid to do your own dirty work." He's expecting the next blow although the speed and viciousness does cause him the pain intended.

"I am more interested in somebody else's pain right now." Rainer looks over at Sarah, her features finally betraying some emotion especially her eyes and he knows that she is affected by this. He just wants to see her suffer more. He knows he has to draw a lot more blood for this to happen and again offers the knife to Metzger. "You did say that he gave you just as much trouble in Stuttgart and you would like some revenge for yourself."

Felix forces himself to take the knife, hoping that his hand does not tremble in the process and stands in front of Cole. He sees Rainer walk towards Sarah and is at a loss at to what to do next. Cole does not look at him but he knows that permission has been granted, however, he cannot bring himself to stab a friend even though the mission depends on it. Cole can feel his hesitation and finally looks at him, not in recrimination but in understanding that it has to be done. They do not notice that Sarah has removed her sling.

Sarah knows it's the right time as she sees Felix hesitate to take the dagger. Benkhofer is so intent on the offer that he does not notice as Sarah slowly removes her sling from around her neck. She still cradles her left arm, while her right hand holds the knife tighter knowing that she'll just have one chance of surprise. She sees it as Benkhofer finally walks towards her. She can see his eyes widen in surprise as she jumps from her chair and grabs him around his shoulders with her left arm, her right hand aiming the knife at his jugular.

All at once, all eyes are on her. The two guards look on warily, their guns drawn. She can see Felix almost looking relieved although the expression has passed by so quickly that it could be her imagination. Benkhofer struggles but Sarah's prepared for this and pushes the sharp knife into his neck, causing a deep cut. She can feel his blood drip onto her fingers.

"Let him go." She's directed the comment at Felix hoping that he will obey. She reinforces the words by causing another nick in Benkhofer's throat and he speaks for the first time since Sarah's made her move.

"I'm going to kill you." The venom clear in his voice.

"Maybe, but you haven't as yet and considering you've read my file, you know I can use this very skillfully", again emphasizing her point by nicking him with the knife.

Benkhofer is livid and for a small moment contemplates giving the kill order. He knows Otto is a skilled marksman. But he has waited so long for his full plan to come to fruition that he cannot let it go now. He's waited for over twenty years to finally get to his own goal that he cannot let this woman ruin it currently. "Let him go" he tells Metzger through clenched teeth.

Cole looks at Sarah once he's free and does not move. He cannot bring himself to leave her in the hands of Benkhofer. He promised Chuck that this would work, he will not break that promise.

"Go" she tells him but its like he's rooted to the spot. "Dammit Cole, just go." He sees her wink at him and knows that this was her plan all along. He does not want to play along but respects her enough to know that she has made a decision for them.

He notes that Benkhofer hasn't given the order to shoot Sarah and probably won't and he makes a decision, he walks towards the door knowing that he'll go but he won't leave her. He's memorized the layout of the Chateau and knows where he can hide.

Sarah breathes a sigh of relief as she sees Cole run out of the door. Although she's also cognizant of what's going to transpire next. She hold's Benkhofer closer the knife still pressed to his neck and prays that it gives Cole enough lead time.

Rainer finally makes the next move as he elbows her in the ribs while jerking his head backwards sending her off- balance. His next instructions are said so harshly that Sarah does not register them although the guards do as they descend onto her prone form, legs lashing out. She tries not to cry out in pain, knowing Chuck's probably listening to the transmitter but cannot help it as a boot connects to her back and she let's out a muffled groan and thankfully passes out.

**Twenty miles outside Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (1.02am, 31st October 2009)**

Chuck's nervously pacing back and forth, jumping every time he hears a sound, thinking it's coming from the transmitter. When he finally hears voices, he goes pale, knowing that it's started. As usual, Casey's features do not betray any emotion and its just Chuck who winces every time he hears Cole being hit. He stands next to the radio, his hands curled into fists in his pockets wishing he did not feel so ineffectual.

Sarah hasn't said a sound but he can faintly hear her even breaths, knowing that she's trying to hide all her emotions and using the breathing technique Casey had thought him. He thinks he should probably use it as well until Sarah makes her move.

Chuck has to admit that in hindsight, he should have known that she'd do this. Should have realized that she would do all she could to help as well. He knows this will not end well and when he hears her cry out in pain, he flashes.

'Empire State Building, German newspaper from 1944, Granny Smith apple, underground plans, the RMS Lusitania, Empire State Building'. The initial Flash then gives way to a sensation that is getting quite familiar. Chuck begins to see three dimensional pictures in his head and at the end of it, knows that he has gain a physical trait he did not have before.

Casey can see that Chuck has flashed but he does not expect him to recover so fast from it such that he's run out of the door even before Casey can call out. Chuck realizes what he needs to do as he runs for the car. He's in and gunning the engine before he hears Casey yelling over the sound. He does not care though as he fishtails it onto the road and drives towards the Chateau.

"Bartowski" Casey yells as he runs after the car, the tail lights blinking in the distance. Chuck is driving too fast and Casey has no choice but to stop and look as the car disappears around the corner.

"Damn It, Bartowski!"

**The End**

**Next Up, Chuck vs The Art of War Maneuvering**

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	12. Chuck vs The Art of War Maneuvering

**A/N - As always, many thanks for the reviews. I'm about to go on a thirteen hour flight so I thought I'd better post the next installment:) What would be great is to land go to the hotel, boot up my laptop and find twenty new reviews (yeah, I really know I'm reaching here but an author can dream:). Anyway, hope you like it. Seven down, six more to go....**

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**VII****. Maneuvering **

**Underneath Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (1.19am, 31st October 2009)**

Chuck looks into the rear view mirror in time to see Casey giving him the finger as he stops chasing the car. It's not only instinct pushing him to do this but the Flash as well. They had sent Cole in because of the amount of guards and surveillance they knew was on the grounds of the Chateau. They could not get in otherwise and therefore also had to set up base twenty miles away. What they did not know and what was not in the layout they had received was the fact that during World War Two, the Chateau had been a Nazi base camp. What was even more interesting was that the Resistance had found old tunnels leading up to the Chateau and had used them to smuggle messages in and out from the prisoners being held there. The tunnel entrance was just by the South gate. Chuck turns into one of the small roads and parks the car behind the largest tree he can find. He scans the area, knowing that the tunnel entrance is just around here, the map image still clear in his head. Adding to that, he's also obtained tracking skills through his physical flash, enough to navigate even in the dark, enough to find his way to Sarah. He hopes he does not have to use it but by the looks of the plans in his head, its probably a good thing to possess.

He almost doubles over with relief when he finally uncovers a small entrance overgrown with shrubbery and weeds. He pulls frantically at the plants and forces his way into the tunnel, his small flashlight only weakly illuminating a few steps ahead of his feet. He has to crawl through the tunnel and knows its gently sloping downwards, heading north. He can feel the slime on the walls and the musty smell tells him that it has not been used in a long time. Chuck's never done well with heights or enclosed spaces but there is only one thought in his head. He needs to get to Sarah regardless of any obstacle. He ignores the rats he's climbing over and the feeling that the walls are closing in. He has only one objective and nothing will stop him from getting to Sarah.

He's been crawling for a good half hour at least before he feels the tunnel widen such that he can finally stand up. Again, he's mostly cloaked in darkness except for the weak light from his torch. All he can see is that the tunnel now breaks off into three paths. Again, instinctively, he knows the right one to take, the one that will lead him to the interrogation room. He just does not want to imagine what he will find there. He had left the moment they had started to hurt Sarah. He could not have stayed anyway but right now, he needs to take a few seconds to pray that she's still ok. That her ploy to save Cole did not cost her life. He slowly stands and dusts himself off and turns left and goes into a slow jog that changes into a full fledge run after a minute of warming up. Chuck runs flat out for a full ten minutes at last happy that Casey's extensive workouts have finally resulted in something useful. Chuck sees the ladder built into the side wall and slowly climbs it, he has to push quite hard on the iron door, hitting the sides with his flashlight until it breaks. He's finally rewarded as he hears it creak open.

Luck is on his side as he does not see anyone nor has anyone been alerted by the sounds he's made. He's still dressed in black and only now takes out his gun. He almost wishes it was a real gun, knowing that if it came down to it, he would do anything to protect Sarah. The hallway is deserted and he sees the staircase leading up to the first floor. He knows the interrogation room is at the end of the hallway and has to take a moment before he walks towards it. Again, he seems to have luck on his side as he sees the door is only secured by a large external bolt. He's not sure if Sarah is still in there or whether she's alone but at this point, he really does not care. Chuck slowly slides the bolt open, his back is to the wall on one side , his gun held up and in parallel to his body. He counts to three in his head before pushing open the door and rushing into the room, his gun at the ready to take a shot.

It's only when he sees Sarah laying on the ground does he close the door, rehoslter his gun and rush towards her. He hates that this has become familiar to him, that this is the second time he has seen her in this state in as many days. All he really wants to do is to hold her, to convince himself that shh has not been lost to him.

**First Floor Parlor of** **Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (1.32am, 31st October 2009)**

Felix is looking out the window wondering if Cole had got out. He's almost sure that he's still somewhere in the house and hopes that Benkhofer does not share the same thought process. He looks over now at his host, totally convinced that the man is truly insane. It had been Felix who had to give the order to the guards to stop attacking Sarah and even then, he had to shout at Benkhofer that the Intersect may not work if she sustained a head injury. All in all the vicious attack took less than a minute and he hoped that Sarah had not been hurt too badly. Benkhofer had walked out then, Felix and the guards trailing closely behind. He had made his way to the parlor and poured the two of them a drink, while the guards stood at the entrance.

"Do you believe in fate?" Rainer would never have picked Metzger to have this conversation with but he was a better candidate than the guards currently and he needed to settle his nerves as he still felt the strong impetus to kill the woman who had murdered his brother.

Felix does not know what to say and settles for a shake of his head.

"No?" Rainer realizes that the man before him was not meant for great things, that his background would not have given him the occasion to see the world for what it was as well as the opportunity to do something to make a difference. The inner Circle was the key to all of it and Rainer knew how close he was to finally fulfill his own destiny. It was truly fate that allowed him to reach this point. He had not lost sight of that although he could feel that he had come close.

"She is the key to my final goal. Thank you for reminding me. By 3pm tomorrow, it will all have played out." He salutes Matzger with his glass. Soon it wouldn't matter anyway. He needs her alive for today but he knows that once his goal is complete, he doesn't have to care, she would die with the rest.

Felix controls his urge to shudder. The man before him was just not all there but at least Sarah has been left alone and Cole's currently somewhere about. He just wishes time moved faster and the assignment was over. He's not sure how much Casey or Chuck had received through Sarah's earpiece but at least they would have heard that Sarah's ok for now. Their plan still intact and headed towards their own final goal.

**Fourth Floor Attic of** **Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (1.55 am, 31st October 2009)**

Cole had gone over the Chateau plans until he had them memorized and he's glad that he did. He just had to avoid the few guards in the house, knowing that the others would have been dispensed to search the grounds and the surrounding countryside for him. The minute he had run out of the room, he had not gone out the door although he did lay a trail there. After which, he had run up to attic on the fourth floor when he had found the dumbwaiter hidden behind the old wood paneling. It's not that big but Cole's hidden in smaller places. Before he enters, he takes a small vial of oil out of his back pocket and uses it on the pulley, hoping that it takes and would work without a sound. He then maneuvers into the small space and begins to work the rope, slowly lowering the platform. It moves without much noise and all Cole can hear now is his breathing and the low sounds of people talking in the hallway on the other side of the wall. He stops when he reaches the basement, hoping that Sarah's still there and unhurt. He does not come out of his hiding spot as he hears a noise in the hallway. He sits in the dark and contemplates his next move knowing that a lot is riding on it. He's almost sure that Sarah's been hurt again although has faith that Felix would somehow try and mitigate the situation. He's not exactly sure of what he can really do except to try and find out where Sarah is and then wait until Benkhofer moves her to Zurich. He's pretty sure that by staying close, he'll at least have a chance to go to Sarah's aid should she need it. Although, he's also quite sure that Sarah wants to carry on with the mission until it ends, knowing that it means both Chuck and her would be finally free from the Ring.

He remembers asking her where she saw herself in five years and he had been amazed at the smile she had given him, knowing it wasn't for his benefit but because it was driven by a wish so strong, backed only by her faith. "With my family and hopefully retired from all this." They had driving through the night and Cole wasn't just trying to make conversation but to forge a connection. To help ground her and hopefully help her get to her goal.

He can still hear noises though the thin walls and waits patiently, knowing that he'll have to be careful and not give himself away, not after what Sarah had done for him.

**Basement of Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (2.03am, 31st October 2009)**

Chuck slowly lifts Sarah up, hoping that he's not causing her more pain. She's still out probably due to the shock of the beating to her already injured body. At least he can't see any signs of external bleeding. It's only when he lifts her shirt does he see the contusions forming, her side and back are so red, showing where the capillaries had broken under the skin. He can see that she's regaining consciousness as her eyelids flutter open.

He can't help but smile, wanting her first sight of him to be a happy one. He can see the confusion in her eyes as she blinks, once, twice, three times, like she's not sure he's really there and just checking to see if it's a hallucination. Her hand finally reaches up to touch his face as he leans into her touch.

"What are you doing here?" Sarah does not like surprises. When she was younger, her mother had thrown her a few surprise birthday parties and those were fine but when it was just her and her dad, surprises took on a very bad connotation. It meant that they had to leave a town in the middle of the night because her father's con had been discovered. Or worse, it meant she had to drive home to see her father being led out of their house in handcuffs. To the adult Sarah Walker, being surprised in the spy business meant not being fully prepared and therefore opening up oneself to getting hurt or worse yet, dead. "This is not the plan, you shouldn't be here." Her voice is kept soft but he can hear the urgency of her words. Even now, she does not use his name despite wanting to.

"You getting hurt wasn't in the plan either", he knows she's in pain by the way she holds herself and how she's controlling her breathing. Surprisingly, it was Ellie that explained it to him when she saw him practicing what Casey had taught him. Apparently, it was a technique they taught in birthing class. He had laughed then, trying to picture Casey taking prenatal classes and failing miserably. He definitely does not feel like laughing now, as he pulls the bezel from his watch revealing the hidden compartment and taking out the two pain pills hidden there. "Take these."

He can see she wants to continue the argument but realizes that the pills will help. She convulses as she dry-swallows them, never taking her eyes off Chuck. "You have to leave, they could come back at any…"

He doesn't let her finish as he kisses her, it's not the most appropriate response but he's angry and scared and it was either shout some sense into her or kiss her. He can taste the bitterness of the pills she had swallowed and only when he hears her groan, because he's pressing down a bit too hard on her torso, does he pull back. "You're hurt, I have to get you out of here."

Sarah's beyond frustrated as she's been hurt worse; there was that mission in Kyrgyzstan where she had to run a few miles with a broken collar bone and a fractured leg. "That's not the plan." she repeats, emphasizing the last word. She can see that he's angry too, the color in his cheeks rising not from the flush of the kiss. At least he does not yell knowing that they're still in Benkhofer's house.

"How many times do you expect me to leave you?Or just let you walk away?" I can't keep doing that" All he feels now is frustration fighting the fear he has of losing her. He thinks that there has to be another way through this but knows that they've gone over all the information and there had been none. He does not want to jeopardize the mission but he does not want to leave without her either. Chuck's realizing that he's been putting the onus on her to walk out. That he's always expected her to be the strong one and it wasn't fair to either of them. They were a team, they had planned this together, had agreed on the course of action and they had to make the decision together as to whether to move forward or not right now. Chuck knows she's hurt and the possibility of her being hurt further is always there.

"I know" Sarah does not want Chuck to leave and would give anything to go with him but she's committed to this mission as she knows its still their only way out. She wouldn't take the risk if she didn't at least think they had some probability of success. "We'll get through this", she's really just repeating herself here as she recalls telling him those exact words in the desert all those months back. Then, it was just hope but now, its transformed into a belief. She looks into his eyes and can see his fear there. Not fear for his life but for hers. However, she can also see the dawning understanding that she has made her choice and he has to accept it.

Chuck knows they've survived this far and is sure that its luck on his side and skill on hers. He just isn't sure if his luck will run out first or if she's just going to encounter a situation that even beyond her extraordinary skill level. "You keep having to give me pep talks" he smiles although it doe not fully reach his eyes, "I trust you, its just that all our plans so far have not really worked out."

"They've got us this far and I'll be moved to Zurich in a few hours and we'll finally have the Circle in our sights. He can't afford to hurt me anymore" Sarah knows he's so willing to take her place, can see it in his demeanor. She touches his face again and pulls him in for a kiss.

"We'll be as close as we can possibly get." He whispers as she finally pulls back. There is such a great difference between what he wants and what he needs at this point. He knows that he needs to let the plan run its course and that they're so close to finally taking down the Ring. He knows that this is what Sarah needs to do, what she had sacrificed for all these months. That its not only in his best interest to do so but also in the interest of saving countless of lives. What he truly wants though is to take her out of here, to remove her from harm's way.

Before she can answer, they hear voices drifting from the staircase. Chuck looks around frantically. The only place to hide is a old weapons cabinet in the far right corner. He rushes to open it, careful not to allow the swords hanging there to hit against each other. He cuts himself on one of them but ignores the pain as he pushes himself to the back and quickly shuts the door. The small keyhole, providing a limited view of the room.

Rainer had finally instructed the guards to take Sarah back to her room. Otto had been surprised at the bolt not being locked and was yelling at his compatriot as he opened the door. He was almost expecting not to see the woman on the floor and was glad that she was still there. He had worked for Herr Benkhofer for three years and knew that the man did not take mistakes lightly. Otto had seen how he had killed the guard who had brought him the news of his brother's death and would not wish to be on the wrong side of Herr Benkhofer's anger. He kicks the woman to ensure she's still unconscious, before lifting her up and walking towards the door.

Chuck sees the guard kick Sarah and almost rushes out, the only thing stopping him is the fact the he can see the other guard with his weapon trained on Sarah and knows he won't be fast enough to take them both out. He wonders if he'll always not be good enough. He hears the door shut and waits for a full two minutes before coming out. Chuck was always so focused on Sarah that its only now that he realizes the walls are lined with weapons and as he looks at a particular dagger, he feels the beginning of another Flash.

He also hears the door slowly open but cannot stop either event from happening as the images flood his mind and the door opens fully.

**The End**

**Thanks for reading! Next Up Chuck vs The Art of War Variation of Tactics  
**


	13. Chuck vs TAOW Variation of Tactics

**A/N - Hi All, thanks for the reviews and for sticking with this story. Honestly, I'm a bit unsure whether people are enjoying it or losing interest! Anyway, I have found that 13 hour flights are pretty conducive to writing. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Feedback and reviews are very much appreciated.**

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**VIII. Variation of Tactics **

**Basement of Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (2.31am, 31st October 2009)**

Chuck's virtually blind when he flashes, all his senses wrapped around the images flowing through his brain. Due to Casey and Sarah vigilance, he's always had the advantage of never being in a potential dangerous situation until now.

'Yellow Lava Lamp, last will & testament documents, atomic mushroom cloud, a liquid filled test tube, bank vault, telephone, sig sauer, apple pie, dentist chair, concentric circles, eagle soaring, peace sign, fir tree, ticking bomb, incendiary device, teddy bear, degas sculpture, Agent X's mission report from Birmingham, Yellow Lava Lamp'

The Flash is slightly different, it does not trigger a physical manifestation but its length is so much longer than previous flashes, tying together bytes of information into a cohesive picture that reveals a hidden agenda that has been missing all along. It ends only after a few minutes and the knowledge it gives him, drives him to his knees, gasping.

He feels rough hands grab at him and he automatically lashes out, the heel of his palm catching his assailant in the face. Chuck scrambles back and quickly withdraws his tranq gun, fumbling but not dropping it. His vision is still a bit blurred but he tries his best to find his target, one arm extended, the other supporting his wrist, his gun at the ready to shoot.

"Bloody hell, Chuck." Cole's holding his bloody nose, more surprised than anything else. He had entered the room expecting to find Sarah but instead had seen Chuck in the middle of one of his Flashes. He still does not really understand how it works but knows that the knowledge will always be helpful to them. He does not want to disturb Chuck, not knowing the damage it might cause, and just stands there as he sees Chuck sway on his feet, eyes looking into the distance as if hypnotized, his eyelids wavering. Only when Chuck has fallen to his knees does he move forward to help and therefore, he was not at all expecting the blow that Chuck had given him.

"Cole?" Chuck, lowers his gun and tries to shake the feeling of doom currently settling over him. He looks around the room despite knowing that Sarah had been carried out while he was hiding in the cupboard. He does not want to panic, inherently understanding that it is not going to solve anything but the Flash had finally provided him with the big picture that they'd been missing all along. Right now, all he wants to do is to get Sarah and run as far away as possible. They could not win here, the odds were stacked against them from the beginning and they had been played all along. "We have to get Sarah." His voice urgent and tinged with worry.

"How did you get here?" Cole can see that Chuck's more than agitated, his voice already louder than it needs to be.

"There are old World War Two tunnels miles out, underneath that leads to the basement. It's the small iron door embedded into the floor at the far end of the hallway. We have to get Sarah." Chuck marches towards the closed door only to be held back by Cole's good arm, firmly grasping his forearm.

"Come on mate, we've been through this. The mission is still a go." Cole does not want to have this conversation again. He can sympathize with Chuck but they've come this far and he understands that for all his recent training, Chuck's still a novice in the intelligence arena. He still sees all these situations in black and white and not the grey areas that they're suppose to. To Cole, Sarah had made her choice to continue when she took Benkhofer hostage and allowed Cole to escape. To him, that was reason enough to follow through with the mission. At least now, he can fulfill one promise to Sarah that he has made. He knows she would not want Chuck here, that she would expect Cole to protect him and ensure his safe return and well being.

"Let me go" Chuck does not want to deal with Cole right now, all he wants to do is to get to Sarah and to run as far away as he can with her. He does not care about his duty but only the fact that he needs to save Sarah's life. He pulls his arm away and strides to the door, only to be pulled back by Cole as once again, as voices are heard in the hallway. He feels Cole's palm covering his mouth and being pulled back against the wall. He knows he should not struggle but the images are still so fresh in his mind that Chuck does not care. He needs to get to Sarah and he elbows Cole in the ribs to try and get loose. The voices are getting louder and Cole struggles to maintain his hold. It's only when he realizes that Chuck's not going to give up, does he take a more strident measure. He does not like doing this but he also knows that they have a mission to complete and Sarah's already sacrificed so much to get this far. Felix is still her back-up and time is fast approaching the final meeting in Zurich. Cole knows he can't let her down so he slowly cuts off Chuck's air supply. He can feel Chuck struggling valiantly despite the lack of air. Cole's attention is split between the door and keeping Chuck quiet.

The sound of the voices pass by and Cole's left with an unconscious Chuck. He's glad at least for the new knowledge of the tunnels as it would make their escape easier. He cannot hear anymore voices but waits for an additional five minutes before exiting and swiftly making his way to the iron door Chuck had described. He slowly descends into the tunnel, carrying Chuck despite his injured forearm and the added beating he had taken at Benkhofer's hands. It takes him more than half an hour before he reaches the smaller tunnel and is glad that Chuck's finally regaining consciousness.

"What..? What have you done?" The accusation plain in Chuck's voice. He looks warily at Cole, wanting to hit him but knowing that it's still not to late to go back and get Sarah.

"Listen."

"NO" Chuck cuts Cole off, his loud voice bouncing off the walls. "Benkhofer's going to kill her. I flashed on an old family heirloom, a dagger of some sort." Chuck hits the wall in frustration, his knuckles come away red with blood. "He's been planning this for over twenty years, ever since his father was killed."

"Planning what exactly?" Cole's beginning to think that perhaps he had made a mistake and knows he needs to fix it.

"Benkhofer's father was killed by the Circle. He's been planning to kill them and take over all along. He's using Sarah as bait to get them to finally meet together in the same room. He was in Shanghai last year where he had taken possession of a contagious toxin. He's probably going to use it on the Circle and then he's going to kill Sarah."

"The Intersect would still be valuable to him when he takes over" Cole does not want to believe that he could be the cause of Sarah's death.

"It's never been about that for him, only revenge. He's waited over twenty years to kill the Circle, he wants to kill Sarah because she killed his brother in Birmingham. I read the report that was submitted, the agent on scene took down a cell in Birmingham and one of the dead was identified as a Rudolph Hofferman also known as Rudolph Benkhofer. We have to go back now." Chuck knows that they've wasted too much time, that they need to act fast. He pushes past Cole wanting to return to the Chateau.

"We can't" Cole's barely got out the words before Chuck turns and tackles him to the ground. He does not want to hit Chuck and just relents as he tries to explain. "We don't have enough firepower and she's probably more guarded after the stunt she pulled." He cannot avoid the punch Chuck throws. His head snaps back and he finally pushes Chuck off. " Our best bet is to beat them to Zurich." Cole knows that Chuck's only endgame is to get Sarah. The problem is that as a government agent, his first duty is to country and he has to make decisions that benefit the majority. He's certain that Casey and Sarah would agree with his assessment although, when it came down to it, Sarah would give her life for Chuck as much as she would to bring down the Circle.

Chuck wants to argue against the logic, his emotions already running too high but he knows that going in like that is liable to get someone killed and he cannot bet on Sarah's life. Chuck looks at Cole and can see the the remorse showing on his face and at least he knows that Cole had not left Sarah to die on purpose. They still have a few hours and can plan the ambush and rescue Sarah before Benkhofer made his move. He knows Casey definitely has enough firepower and that Cole's going to activate his military unit. Chuck does not want to waste anymore time and starts to crawl though the smaller tunnel. The sooner he got back to their base, the sooner the closer he would be to rescuing Sarah.

**Twenty miles outside Chateau Haute Rhienstein, Schwarzwald (3.55am, 31st October 2009)**

Casey reaches for his gun when he hears the engine of a car in the distance. Its only when he scopes the driver and sees that it's Chuck, does he stand down. This entire mission has not reached FUBAR standards but it's come close a number of times. He's surprised they haven't suffered any major casualties although he knows that they have a number of walking wounded already. He's pretty sure Walker is in pain although she's still maintaining radio silence. He can hear the guards talking and joking in the background and knows that she's under close surveillance ever since she pulled that stunt on Benkhofer.

He had heard their conversation in the Chateau, had initially wanted to give them some privacy but decided that Bartowski and Walker did not have the luxury to separate their private lives from the mission any longer. He does want to beat some sense into Chuck though but notices the look on Barker's face and sighs as he prepares to hear more bad news.

"Don't tell me. We have a change in plans." It's definitely getting real close to FUBAR now Casey thinks but wisely keeps that thought to himself as he sees Chuck move closer to the radio. "She hasn't said anything but they're guarding her more closely since they took her out of the basement.I count six distinct voices."

Chuck's not embarrassed that Casey had probably heard his and Sarah's whole conversation. His entire life has not been his for the past three years and the one real thing to come out of the huge mess, his relationship with Sarah, still hangs in the balance. "He's going to kill her regardless. He was never really after the Intersect, just Sarah because she killed his brother. The fact that he thinks she's the Intersect just feeds into his plan for revenge on the Circle for murdering his father. We need to get her out now. We just need to get her out." Chuck does not care that his voice carries a pleading tone. He just hopes that it's enough to sway Casey.

Casey knows what Bartowski wants to do but he also knows that he cannot allow that to happen, not yet. The new information, just reinforces the fact that their primary goal is completely within reach. When he had told the General that Chuck was indeed field ready, he had purposely left out the fact the Chuck would always be prone to making decisions based on individuals and not for the greater good. Casey wants to save Walker as much as Chuck does but they would have to disagree on the timing of the event.

"That doesn't change our plan, Bartowski. It just means that Rainer Benkhofer does our job for us." Casey's tries to sound reasonable for Chuck's benefit because he can see the kid's really on the edge.

"Are you insane" Chuck shouts angrily turning to face down Casey. Leaving it to Cole who finally interjects, "Casey's right in his assessment" Cole does not like to do this to Chuck especially since he does consider him a friend but he can also see the merits of letting the plan move along a bit more. The new information giving them certainty that the inner members of the Ring can be taken down. He does not like to invoke her name but thinks it's the only thing Chuck will listen to. "Sarah would agree."

"Don't you dare." Chuck can't believe that Cole would even try and bring Sarah's opinion into this. "You don't know her." He spits out only to have Casey take up the same line of argument.

"She's an agent Chuck. She was one before she married you and she's still one now." Casey's really trying here, if it was any other rookie besides Bartowski, he would have just pounded his view into him. But Chuck had sacrificed a lot and he knows he's asking him to continue to do so because the means currently still justifies the end. He does not want to see Walker die but he knows that taking down the Ring would result in an overall better world and that has always been his prime directive. He cannot now make a decision to possibly protect one life at the expense of all others and he cannot allow Chuck to do it either. He has faith that his partner knows what she's doing and when the time comes, he will do his utmost best to extract her but now is not the time.

"We can change the plan, we've done it before."Chuck feels like he's grasping at straws. Both Casey and Cole's minds are set and try as he might, he cannot change them.

"I'm sorry." Casey really means it, he understands that Chuck cannot bring himself to see the big picture and its really up to him. "If it's any consolation, I'd make the same choice if it was Ilsa in there."

"It's not, is it?" Chuck walks away, finally tired of confronting them. He can see that they're so adamant in their decision, so sure that it's the correct one. Only, he can't see it but he now knows what he has to do. He hears Cole and Casey discuss about their next steps and how they still have a window in which they can get to Sarah after Benkhofer has made his move on the Circle. They're planning to drive to Zurich right now, knowing that Benkhofer and Sarah would not be far behind. What he had not brought up thus far was the fact that he's very sure that the meeting is not going to take place in Zurich but probably in Zug. It's the one piece of the puzzle he knows that will lead him to Sarah first.

**Adiswil, Canton of Zurich (8.02am, 31st October 2009)**

Casey checks his ammo clip for the sixth time. He's as prepared as he's ever going to be but it never hurts to be vigilant. They're overlooking the main expressway into Zurich City Center. Walker's sub-cutaneous tracker is working fine and ETA to current point stands at about an hour and a half. Cole's briefing his SAS team and all they need to do now is to follow Rainer's convoy as they pass to the final meeting point. Before Chuck's flash, they were counting on only having a small window of opportunity in which to rescue Sarah and take out the Circle. Now though, odds were that Benkhofer would react first and go after the Circle before he killed Walker. All they had to do was get her out when he was busy doing that and then just wait until he returned and take him out last. Casey really liked it when things moved in their favor.

He did feel bad for Bartowski though; but the kid had to learn that although Walker's safety would be of paramount importance, it would never take precedence over the successful completion of their mission. At least he had finally come around and offered to drive the car to the meeting point while Casey went over the final details with Cole's team in the truck. Casey scans the road, expecting to see Chuck pull up at any second.

**Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (8.02am, 31st October 2009)**

Chuck stops outside the nondescript building, not really sure that this is the correct place but he had seen it in his Flash so it's a good enough guess. He wishes he still had his watch but knows that it'll just lead Casey and Cole to him faster and he needs time to implement his own plan. Besides, he had flashed on the building plans and knows that some where in the basement, there's a small EMP type device that negates any external electronic equiptment within the building. The only electrical devices allowed to function run on a special grid that grounds and protects their functionality.

It's really quiet out although, the sun's starting to rise. He slowly walks towards the entrance, noting the cameras mounted on the front wall of the building. There are only a few cars parked along the road and he wonders if he is making the right decision here. During the drive over, he had tried to listen for Sarah's voice in his head but unlike the previous time when he could hear telling him to go get Morgan, his 'Sarah conscience' has chosen to remain silent.

Sarah had already sacrificed so much anyway and to him, that justifies his decision now. He knows he is walking into the lions' den currently but this is the only way to guarantee Sarah's life once and for all. He had started all of this when he made the choice to download the Intersect. It was because of him that Sarah had to go under cover and that Morgan had been kidnapped and almost died. He had started all this and perhaps it was finally time he took responsibility and ended it on his own terms. He's never going to be free from the responsibility, even if they take down the Ring, there will always be something else that they would need to sacrifice for. Chuck will not take a chance with Sarah's life any longer and knows he needs to step up and be an equal partner in their professional relationship. He fully understandsthat although Sarah loves him and Casey had trained him, the both of them were still looking to protect him. However, things have changed and unlike before, where it had not been his choice, this time, it had. He is still the Intersect and it's about time he used it to its fullest potential. Sarah had always said that he could do anything he wanted. He know's he's about to put that theory to the test. Chuck takes out his gun and throws it into the bushes before he reaches the glass doors. He takes a breath before he enters, not knowing if he'll ever leave.

**The End**

**Can I say that reaching 100 reviews will make me write faster? :-) Next Up Chuck vs THe Art of War The Army on the March**


	14. Chuck vs TAOW The Army on the March

**A/N - Wow, thank you so much for the reviews and reading and the reviews. Did I mention I really, really like the reviews :) and you guys are awesome. Anyway, the pieces are all moving into place for the showdown in Zug. Hope you guys like the chapter.**

**I do not own Chuck but did manage to catch the episodes showing on my flight (Chuck vs The First Date and Chuck vs The ex) so yay.**

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**IX. The Army on the March **

**A4a Highway**** to Baar, Canton of Zug (8.02am, 31st October 2009)**

Sarah's hands are tied in front of her yet again and for good measure, she's had a hood pulled over her head since the trip began a few hours ago. She's at least glad that they finally elected not to put her in the trunk although she could tell that Benkhofer had wanted to do so initially. She's comforted that the endgame has finally begun and their team is still intact and the plan is on course. Most of all, Sarah's immensely happy that Chuck is still safe. She had been so worried when she saw him in Benkhofer's house and had prayed that he had escaped undetected. Both Felix and Benkhofer had not given any indications that anything else had occurred that she just had to believe that Chuck had managed to get out and regroup with Casey and hopefully Cole.

The interior of the car is relatively quiet and Sarah wishes that she could say something but knows that she has to stay silent. Felix is sitting next to her and its reassuring that she can feel his leg press against hers. She's not sure where they're going but knows that she'll eventually meet the inner Circle of the Ring and that all her sacrifice will finally pay off and she and Chuck will be free to lead their lives together. She knows that he's still the Intersect and that there is a good chance that Beckman's not going to let him walk away, just like that. During the past six months, she had thought about that a lot, thinking of ways around it. She finally realized it all came down to choices. Chuck had made his choice when he downloaded the Intersect and she had made hers when she agreed to marry him.

They made a great team and Beckman knew it, especially since Chuck could now control his Physical Flashes in her presence. When this was over, she was going to fight so that they could not be split up and that was what mattered. Sarah had never considered having children until she met Chuck. However, it would be near impossible to contemplate having a family in their line of work. That's her only regret right now, that because of Chuck's altruistic decision to download the Intersect, they won't be able to have a family together just yet. She has a hope though, that after a few years, they'd find Stephen Bartowski and he'd have thought of a way to get this Intersect out of his son's head. She's almost sure that despite Beckman's claim otherwise, the US Government is already once again working on their own Intersect project. She knows what she is doing now will help buy the precious time they will need to finally live the lives they deserved. Sarah leans back into the car seat, knowing that in an hour or so, it will finally be over and her life with Chuck could begin again.

**Adiswil, Canton of Zurich (8.48am, 31st October 2009)**

Casey's getting really antsy, Chuck's still AWOL and has not answered his cell in the past half an hour. He knows that Chuck's not one to flake out when Sarah's life is on the line and initially thought that perhaps he had got into an accident. it was only when he activated Chuck's watch did he find that it was currently strapped to the underside of the truck that carried Cole's team. Cole had already send an SAS scout to trace back the route they had taken and so far, there's no sign of Chuck or the car.

Casey has never purported to really understand Chuck. He knew the kid had a good heart and a good head on his shoulders but he left the understanding bit to Walker. His job was simple, make Chuck ready for the war with the Ring by all means necessary. That meant training his body more than his mind, although, he was always of the notion that any decision made by Bartowski was made with his heart as much as with head.

"Shit!" Casey could not believe his own stupidity as he let the mild expletive fly.

He runs to where the monitors are set up and searches for Walker's tracer. "Have you kept track of this?" he shouts at Cole, knowing, yet dreading what the answer would be. "They're not driving to Zurich, they've turned off the main highway." He hits the table in frustration as he hears Cole give the order to pack up. "Chuck knew," Casey hates it when he's been played, especially when the answer was staring him in the face all along. Chuck had given up way too easily and he should have known that when it came to Sarah's well being, Chuck would sacrifice anything if he could, Walker was exactly the same way. "He thought we wouldn't listen to him so he made his own decision."

"Felix should still be with her when Chuck intercepts them." Cole's trying to formulate a different plan now, knowing that three lives now hung in the balance.

"The moron's not stupid" Casey let's the words out through clenched teeth and stares back at Cole. "He knows he does not have enough firepower and any interception just puts Sarah's life more at risk. He's not going to take that route" Casey hopes he's way off base with his current train of thought. "He'd want to trade himself for her but he knows Benkhofer doesn't value the Intersect at all" Casey trails off, hoping that Cole does not pick up the same thought process.

"But the Circle does," Cole had promised Sarah to look out for Chuck and if Casey was right, he had failed miserably in the one task that Sarah had asked of him. "How would he…Bloody Hell, his Flash must have given him more information on the possible meeting place." Cole signals to his unit that they're leaving in three minutes.

Casey's busy entering a string of data into the laptop set up, mining the information they had collated and triangulating that with the current position of Sarah's tracer. They both know it'll stop soon but still need time to get there. "They're heading into Zug. Are you picking up anything from her earpiece?"

"No, she's still out of range" Cole does not ask the question but knows Casey's thinking the same thought; What if Chuck has already given himself to the Ring. "We need to pick up some sound, we can't go in blind."

Casey nods at that assessment, they'll need to regroup nearer to where Sarah is and hopefully get back some audio to gauge what they'll need to do to extract three people instead of one. He picks up the laptop before kicking the table, in unbridled frustration.

**Main Meeting room, Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (8.58am, 31st October 2009)**

Chuck's rubbing his temples, the pounding headache is the only thing that signals that he's still conscious although he really does not want to be. He's currently sitting in a large meeting room, the full glass wall panel showcasing a magnificent view of the Swiss Alps overlooking the lake. And Chuck has tried his best to focus on that but his attention keeps being drawn to the eight paintings and art pieces scattered throughout the main meeting room. Looking at them in totality finally triggering a Flash in his brain and that provides him with the names and faces of the eight members of the inner Circle.

Chuck tries to stand but he's too dizzy and can't keep his legs under him as he unceremoniously tumbles to the ground, only looking up as he hears two people enter the room. He tries to focus on them and not on any of the art pieces. In his mind, he sees the full eight member Circle and immediately recognizes the two men before him. The elder Chinese gentlemen sits down while the Middle Eastern man helps him back into his seat, his open coat not totally concealing the gun holstered to his side.

"You claim to have information for a group known as The Circle but no such group exist here" The voice is relatively pleasant but Chuck can discern the implied threat.

According to his flashes, the two men seated before him are responsible for wars and genocide beyond his comprehension. He's completely taken aback by the incongruity of their politeness compared to the destruction they have been responsible for. He takes a moment and swallows before he starts to talk, softly and slowly at first. "Rainer Benkhofer is on his way over to meet with you today in order to present the Intersect. As per protocol, there has never been a full Circle meeting in the presence of anyone not a member except now. This find, this human Intersect is too important not to have everyone under the same roof." Chuck sees the Middle Eastern man reach for his gun and knows its crucial that he finishes. "He's planning to kill all of you, he'll be armed as he always is. If you don't believe me, scan him as he walks through your lobby, I know you have the technology. You also probably already know that I ditched my gun outside before coming in and am unarmed. The main difference here is that for the first time, the circle will meet in his presence. You've never done that but the information possessed by a human Intersect is too important to not come together at last." That was another piece of the puzzle Chuck had finally pieced together with his recent Flashes. The Circle had protected themselves by dividing and ruling. However the total sum of information in the Intersect would make any individual member stronger than the others. Thus they had to meet in order to take possession and ensure that the totality of power remained and equally shared

"Who are you?" The Chinese man speaks for the first time.

Despite his kindly outward appearance, Chuck has seen the atrocities he has been responsible for and cannot hide his shudder. "I believe you know that as well"

"Charles Carmichael, Level 1 CIA Analyst, currently working out of Burbank. You're quite far from home." The information stated matter of factly, as if memorized.

Chuck nods, knowing that he has to take the next step, "All I want is your word that Sarah Walker will not be harmed. I've saved your lives."

"Tell me Mr. Carmichael, do you still have a headache?"

Chuck does not know what to say at this point, he should have known that there would be cameras everywhere. It's weird that the one thing that he's thinking about currently is that he'll see Sarah soon and he hopes she's not going to be too pissed at him for doing this. He knows that they had probably seen him flash; it does not change his course of action though, just hastens it. "I want your word that she will not be hurt, by Rainer or anyone else." He's banking on them to agree, he knows that she's not going to leave him and that they are stronger together. They'll have to find a way to survive this together; he's not going to leave her again. He waits for their answer. He finally hears a ringing sound as the Chinese man takes out a small phone from his suit pocket. He answers it in Mandarin and nods at what the person is saying on the other end. The conversation continues in mandarin and is over in twenty seconds before he again turns to Chuck.

"You will be asked to wait in another room. Agent Walker will join you when she arrives."

Chuck knows that he's just given himself and Sarah over to the very organization that's been out to capture them for the past six months and he can hear Casey's voice in his head calling him a various rude names, none of which can be repeated in out loud. What Casey and Cole and Beckman and all of them did not understand, and what Chuck himself had only recently realized is that he's only stronger and better with Sarah by his side. Furthermore, he also finally realized that he does not have to wait for Sarah to get hurt, but by just being with her, he should be able to force Flash. It's an untested theory on whether he can choose the skills he would like to have but he needs to do this. He had underestimated himself as much as the rest of them had and it was time he stopped. He will leave the main killing to Benkhofer but will use all the Intersect skills he can draw upon to ensure that he and Sarah get out of this alive. He looks at the two men before him and smiles. "Lead the way."

**A4a Highway**** to Baar, Canton of Zug (9.05am, 31st October 2009)**

Felix has been staring out the tinted window, trying to gauge how soon they will reach their final destination only to be confronted by the nagging suspicion that they are actually not going to Zurich. He's driven these roads before and know that this particular highway is not one of the direct routes to Zurich center. It could be that Benkhofer is being immensely cautious about transporting Sarah but somehow he doubts that. Sarah's sitting next to him, alert despite the hood over her head. He would have liked to look into her eyes and give her some sort of reassurance that he's there to protect her regardless of their change in plans. Her tracking device would eventually provide Cole and Casey the correct co-ordinates to mount their rescue. Still, Felix feels that its his duty to at least give Sarah and hopefully a listening Cole, a heads up on their new destination.

"Herr Benkhofer, it would seem that we are going to Zug?" Felix senses Sarah tense up at his voice and does not react except to look into the rear view mirror, where he can see Benkhofer's eyes on him.

Rainer had already decided that he does not have anymore need for Metzger. The man had outlived his usefulness and although it would be a waste to kill someone so anxious to assist him, it would also not be wise to bring in any more new faces when he meets the Circle. He had planned this encounter for over twenty years, waiting for just the right confluence of events to eventually bring all the members together. The last time they had met in person was when they passed judgment over his father. It's only right, that now it would be him who pass judgment over them. Rainer knows that they will still be cautious and only allow for him and the Intersect to be present. Otto and his driver will drop them off, leaving Carl Metzger as the odd man out. He looks into the rear view mirror at the man, the question asked hangs between them. He does not like the fact that Metzger is so observant and perhaps it would be good to save twenty million dollars. He takes out his gun and sees the look of surprise on Metzger's face quickly contorting into anger. The speed at which Metzger reaches for his own weapon surprises Rainer but he's still faster as he point blank shoots twice in quick succession before instructing Otto to slow down such that they can dump Metzger's body into the ditch at the side of the road.

Sarah hears Felix asking about Zug and strains to try and catch what Benkhofer will reply in response. She still has the listening device in her ear and hopes that Chuck is catching all of this. She's afraid that Benkhofer has chosen not to answer and strains forward hoping that he does, so she's caught by surprise as she hears the two gun shots and and feel Felix's body convulse as he takes the impact of the bullets. She wants to cry out and reach for him but knows that they are still both playing a part. She does not care though as her hands frantically reach for him. She feels his hand, still warm but limp and she wants to hold on but feels the car slow down and his body pushed out. She hears his body hit the ground and the car door slamming shut once again. She bites her lower lip, enough to draw blood, wishing she could have said something to Felix but knowing that she cannot, glad that the hood is also hiding the look of horror and sadness on her face.

**A3 Highway**** 18 miles out of Zurich (9.05am, 31st October 2009)**

Casey's driving while Cole's monitoring the radio in the hopes of picking up sound from Sarah's earpiece but all he's heard so far is static. He knows they just have to get within a twenty mile radius of her earpiece in order to pick up sound and they should be within range soon.

Cole's actually more worried about Chuck's AWOL status more than he is about Sarah as he knows that Felix is still with her. Currently, they're not sure where the hell Chuck is or what his current motivation would be. Actually, if Cole was being honest with himself, he already knows Chuck's motivation and that would be Sarah's survival at all costs. The issue here is that he hopes Chuck has taken into account that his own life is as precious to Sarah as well. He can't help but agree to Casey's assessment of Chuck being an idiot and that Sarah's going to kick their asses when she finds out they had lost Chuck.

"Anything?" Casey's been reaming Chuck out in his head, the string of expletives getting more severe the further away they got from Zurich. He was just as pissed off with himself though, knowing that Chuck had tried to come to him and he had completely ignored the depth of Chuck's emotional attachment. He should have known better considering he was the one who had brought it to Beckman's attention in the first place. He turns to Cole, when he hears the static from the radio give way to a soft background hum.

For the next minute, they cannot hear much of anything when suddenly Felix's voice comes through, confirming that Benkhofer is indeed going to Zug. The subsequent sound of the gunshots and Benkhofer's directions to dump the body causes Cole to hit out at the dashboard in frustration and anger.

Casey just pushes the gas pedal further down, knowing that they'll have to make a stop along the way to pick up their fallen comrade.

**A4a Highway**** to Baar, Zug (9.20am, 31st Oct 2009)**

The distant mountain ranges look stunning but all Casey can concentrate on is the co-ordinates that Cole had given him, pinpointing where he thinks they had dumped Felix's body. He slows down, his eyes scanning the terrain, but it's Cole who finally gives the signal to stop. He's out of the truck even before Casey can set the brakes.

Cole has always accepted that the lifespan of being an agent can never be predicted but in his mind, his odds of survival were always lower than Felix's . He was the one who took risks, who acted like he had nine lives. It was Felix who always did things by the book, he was the one who was meant to be Chief not dead in a ditch, killed by a madman that Cole had asked him to meet. He sees the body splayed out and for the first time feels like retching by the side of the road. He knows it's probably a lost cause but wants to check for a pulse so he walks towards Felix's body, prepared for the worse.

Felix can feel every one of his forty years of life currently and is glad not only to have lived that long but to still continue to breathe. He had never liked wearing a vest but he had always done things by the book and went by the adage of when in doubt, bring as much firepower as possible and wear a bullet proof vest. Of course he wasn't expecting to be thrown out of a still moving vehicle and the close range of the shots had bruised him quite badly so he's glad he's alive, but he's also not in a position to move anytime soon. It's only when he hears a vehicle slow down and stop a few meters away, does he close his eyes and pretend to play dead once again. He hears footsteps getting closer but still cannot summon the strength to do anything except play dead. It's only when he feels someone check his pulse, does he open his eyes.

"Cole?" His arm grasping at Cole's. "They've taken Sarah to Zug." even now, knowing that they're still on mission.

Cole nods his head, and places both of his hands on the ground, trying to recover from his sudden bout of lightheadedness, brought on by the sheer relief that they haven't lost anyone in the mission as yet. Felix is not dead and although Sarah and Chuck are still not with them, they're slightly better off than they were 10 minutes ago. "I know and it seems like Chuck's going to be her Welcome party." He sees Felix's look of puzzlement, "I'll explain along the way, we need to get moving to stay within Sarah's radio range."

**The End**

**Thanks for reading and for tshdow, I am trying to write faster:) and reaching 100 reviews helped ;-) Can we try for 120 :-)  
**

**Next Up The Art of War Terrain (part 10)!  
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	15. Chuck vs The Art of War Terrain

**A/N - Ok, I kind of lost my inspiration to write which does suck. I finished this yesterday and had to give it a bit of a polish but am not really sure if it came out well. I have a feeling that my writing is deteriorating and the story is losing some focus. Anyway, hopefully its just the mood I'm in and it'll go away and the inspiration will eventually come back.**

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**X. Terrain **

**2****nd**** Floor, Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (9.20am, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Chuck's still woozy but manages to take note of the maze of passages they had walked through to get to a corridor on the second level where at the end, he sees two doors. He's led to the one on the right and ushered in when the door opens. There is a sofa against the far wall, a small bar with some drinks set up and not much else. He sees the mounted camera on the wall, its recording light blinking and tries his luck, "Any chance of a private reunion? It's not like we can go anywhere?" He shrugs and gives them the 'aw shucks' look that always got to Sarah.

The Chinese gentleman again reaches for his phone, expecting it to ring and it does. This time, the call does not even last ten seconds. "You will have an hour." He proceeds to enter some codes into the keypad by the door, presumably ensuring it locks their guest in.

Chuck nods, not sure if he should actually believe him but knowing he does not really have a choice either way. He'll just have to wait and see if the light blinks off when Sarah arrives. He realizes they are liars and merchants of death but he also knows that they will be too confident in their powers to take a level one CIA analyst too seriously even though he is the Intersect. Especially as the Intersect to them would be used as an information source and not as the weapon he hopes to become. He waits until both gentlemen leave before heading to the sofa and collapsing onto it. He does not want to acknowledge the fear that's been building up since he walked through the door but he can feel it seep through the cracks in his resolve. It's only when he again pictures Sarah in his head, does he calm down and closes his eyes. He knows she'll be so angry at first, seeing him there. He needs the hour to explain it to her and get her to see that he's actually thought this avenue through. That his decision now is because he believes in himself as much as she's always believed in him. He would have liked to use the time differently, to try and give her comfort knowing that by just being with her reassures him beyond any measure. He sees her face in his minds eye currently and its enough to allow him to finally relax and drift off, knowing that he needs the small respite before all hell breaks loose.

_**Bennigan's, Burbank (7.10pm, **__**15**__**th**__** June 2009)**_

_Chuck throws back the shot and winces as it slides down his throat, knowing that he will never develop a taste for scotch but looking forward to the oblivion it provides if consumed in large quantities. He looks at the door, expecting Casey to come barreling through and throw him a look of disgust followed by grunt number 73 (Still can't hold your liquor, can you Bartowski!).After which Casey would stay for a drink or two and ensure that the Intersect was not too damaged for the next day. He's about to signal the bartender to order another drink but is stopped when he hears his phone ringinig._

_His heart use to jump at the noise in the earlier weeks, always hoping that it'd be her calling even though he knew that even if she wanted to (and he really hoped she did), she couldn't call him, not without putting both of them at risk. He looks at the screen and is surprised to see Awesome's face staring back._

"_Hey" Chuck's already trying to think of an excuse to give to Awesome so that he can get back to his current state of reaching oblivion._

"_Hey Bro, you're still coming over right? Ellie's been cooking all afternoon." Devon's always been comfortable talking to Chuck about anything. When Ellie first introduced her brother to him, he had been a bit worried about Chuck being a third wheel. Chuck had been kicked out of Stanford then and had started working at the Buy More and at first, Devon just felt sorry for the guy. However, during subsequent talks over dinner and when Ellie had been on call, he found Chuck to be smart and funny and a great substitute for a brother considering his two younger brothers were living far away. He knows where Chuck is currently and can guess as to the reason why. "I'm coming to get you, ok? Don't do this to Ellie. She's been looking forward to this all week." Devon does not like to play the guilt card on Chuck but he likes it even less to see someone as good as Chuck try and drink himself unconscious, even if its only a once a week affair. _

_Chuck hates disappointing Ellie but it's a sight better than having to lie to her face every time. Ellie and Devon have been back a total of three weeks and in that time, Chuck has managed to duck out of most of their dinners and invitations either because of missions or the pretext of talking long distance to Sarah. he knows he's running out of excuses though and that Devon had probably talked to Casey. "When did you talk to Casey?"_

"_Five minutes ago, I'll be there in ten." Devon grabs his keys from their new kitchen counter."Hon, I'm going to fetch Chuck." Ellie kisses him and waves him off, happy that she'll get to finally see her brother and hopefully get more news about her sister-in-law. _

"_Tell him I'm making pot roast and pumpkin pie for desert." _

_Devon really does understand why Chuck's been avoiding them as he hates lying to Ellie as , he can accept that it's probably for her own safety and that of Chuck and Sarah. What he does not understand though is why Chuck won't talk to him and he had gone as far as to actually ask John about it. It wasn't easy confronting someone, who a month ago, threatened to kill him. John had finally explained that he was just trying to scare him but still, Devon was not totally convinced. It was only the fact that he was still so worried about Chuck that he finally called and talked to John. It was an excruciating call as John definitely chose not to be a font of information either, the man merely grunted when Devon had explained himself and all he got was John Casey's summary of "She loves him, he married her, she left, he's 'll find him at Bennigan's" Devon did not even realize John had hung up until he heard the dial tone._

_So here he was, on his way to pick up his newly minted brother-in-law. He needs to do this for Ellie too as he can see that Chuck's current behavior is affecting her as well. She had been so excited about her baby brother getting married and had wanted to cut their honeymoon short. it was only after Chuck and Sarah had insisted that it was unnecessary and that they'd see each other soon anyway, did she relent. When they finally got back, Ellie had cried when she found out that Sarah had already left to look after her dying father. Devon still does not know the whole truth but what he can piece together is that Sarah's on a dangerous mission linked to Chuck and that his brother-in-law is certainly not dealing as well as John thinks he is. He sees Chuck standing at the corner outside, hands in his pocket, looking up at the moon._

"_Hey buddy." At least Devon can see that Chuck's more or less steady on his feet but he offers him the coffee anyway as soon as he buckles himself in._

"_Thanks." It's an automatic response even though Chuck really does not want to be that sober for this dinner. He loves his sister so much and would do anything for her but to continue to lie for her safety has taken its toll. He hates lying about Sarah as much as he misses her and he knows that it is killing him slowly._

"_We need to talk" Devon pulls into a side street, knowing that it's really up to him to do something and hating to see Chuck's face take on a stony expression at his words. "look, Bro, it's really not cool to do this to yourself or to Ellie."_

_Chuck puts his hand on the door handle wanting to get out of the car only to be stopped by Devon's words. "I'm not doing anything to Ellie." He does not like the defensive tone in his voice as it does betray the fact that he really hasn't made an effort to spend time with his sister ever since Sarah left._

"_That's just it, bro, you're never around and it seems that we have to force you to spend time with us. I know you miss S.."_

"_No" Chuck hasn't said her name out loud since she left. He's avoided itat all cost and cannot bear to hear it now._

_Chuck's belligerent tone catches Devon by surprise. He's used to easygoing Chuck or morose Chuck but this is a new development that just spurs him on in his assessment that he does need to do something so he tries a different tack. "I met him you know, her ex." He sees a look of utter surprise on Chuck's face and plows on. 'He was hanging at the hospital that time she was admitted. We talked." _

_Bryce, Devon has to be talking about Bryce and Chuck is somewhat curious as to what Devon would actually say if he knew who he had spoken too but he's too tired to go into that right now so he just shrugs. He knows Devon means well so he sits in the car, his head in his hands. _

"_I told him that the heart is a difficult terrain to traverse but once you know it well, you can tell a lot of things like I know that she really loves you, man, even then."_

"_You think I don't know that! She's out there risking her life because of me." He so did not want to say that and clams up before he can give anything else away. Chuck opens the door and gets out of the car, suddenly feeling claustrophobic._

_Being a doctor meant making a lot of on the spur life or dead decisions but it still did not mean that every decision made was the right one. Devon had assumed that Chuck, being Chuck, was in doubt of Sarah's love for him which is why he did not want to talk to Ellie about their marriage. He follows Chuck out, ":I'm sorry, man, I thought.." Devon trails off, trying to imagine what it would be like if Ellie left him suddenly and shuddering at the very thought._

"_I can't not think about her constantly but it's worse when I have to act happy and lie about it." Chuck kows that Devon's looking out for Ellie and Chuck cannot fault that, knowing that he hasn't been there for his sister recently. _

_Devon's nodding, not that he understands completely but he's beginning to realize the strain under which Chuck has been exposed to. "I'll talk to Ellie, explain.."_

"_You can't tell her anything." When Devon had first found out about his spy life, Chuck knew that he could keep a secret. The guy accepted his ruined wedding reception without even blinking an eye. But Chuck always wondered if he could keep lying to Ellie especially since she would be heartbroken if she found out._

_Devon sighs, knowing that Chuck's right but he's also not about to blatantly lie to his wife either."You can tell her the truth" He raises his hands "Whoa, dude, listen" when he sees Chuck's black look and take a step forward. "Just tell Ellie you miss Sarah a lot and don't want to talk about it just yet, she'll understand, she's your sister." He sees Chuck flinch when he says the name and takes note to tell Ellie to hold back, at least for now. "I may not know everything about what's going on and I know you can't tell me but I'll tell you this, your heart beats at about seventy five times a minute and pump about 5.3 litles of blood during that minute but you're the only one who knows who it beats for. Just remember that and I'll talk to Ellie, she'll understand." _

_It wasn't a perfect solution but Chuck knew that that would only occur when this was all over. He'd go through hell to get to her back, travel through any terrain but right now, the least he could do was survive a dinner with his sister bolstered by the knowledge that his heart did beat only for one person._

**Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (9.45am, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Rainer exits the car into the crisp morning, breathing in the cool air and finally acknowledging that he will reach his ultimate goal today. He is completely unarmed except for the certainty that he will finally get his revenge on the Circle as well as on the woman standing before him . He can still see her defiance in her stance, despite the fact that her hands are bound and there is a hood over her head. He pushes her forward and is happy to see her stumble, scraping her palms as she stops her fall. He can see the glass door beckoning, his long expected future finally opening before him as he grabs her by her forearm and hauls her up and towards the door.

There is sharp contrast between the bright morning sun outside and the dark foyer behind the glass door. Rainer expects to be greeted like a conquering hero but is only met by the two lowest members of the Circle. Mr Chan, an elderly Chinese gentlemen who is rumored to be a descendant of one of the last emperors of China and Sheik Abdul Osman.

"Shall we proceed?" His voice still bearing the polite cadence of a man still in the service of his elders. He does not want to seem impatient but can feel that he is only minutes away from his destiny.

""Precautions must be taken" Sheik Osman steps forward, his gun already in his hand, giving Rainer pause.

"I come unarmed and bearing a great gift." All he sees is the gun trained on him, the full extent of this development is causing him to reassess his situation as he slowly edges behind Sarah, again pushing her forward. "What other precautions are necessary?"

"You will wait for us upstairs while we deliberate some new information." As per tradition, they will gather in the main meeting room until the last arrives at three.

It is the finality in which the words are said that causes Rainer to finally raise his voice, "I demand an audience with the Circle, it is my right to present the Intersect." The only weapon in his possession can only be used once and it's still too soon, he could disarm Sheik Osman but it would still not let him fulfill his full destiny. He had to again be patient and wait, taking a deep breath, his voice again modulates to a more appeasing tone, "I am sorry, I understand your need for precautions and apologize for my outburst. I have served you honorably for over twenty years and will abide by your decisions always." He bows to reiterate his last point and finally sees the gun lower.

A new plan begins to formulate in his mind as he follows them upstairs. Rainer notes that it is Mr Chan who guides the woman slowly up the stairs and is surprised when he is shown to the door on the left while she is led to the opposite door. He wants to again object but keeps silent when he sees that they are expecting him to. he guesses there is someone in the other room and is rewarded with the answer when it opens to reveal someone sleeping on the far end sofa. His own door is open to reveal a similar set up and he is ushered in.

"How long?" He smiles as he asks the question, knowing now that all he will hear are the lies. He fingers his watch, all the while content in his beliefs that all he really needs to do now is to confirm that the Circle has met and to release the toxin into the air duct that connects all the rooms in the building. The small air filter in his pocket the only necessary protection for him while everyone in the building breathes in the poisonous toxins and dies in a most excruciating way. He knows they will meet at three, a distant tradition kept strict though its origins have been lost.

"We meet at four."

Rainer nods and smiles, the door across the hall opens and he notes that the woman's hood and binds have been removed. It no longer bothers him though as he now understands that his end game is still within his grasp. He has to wait until three when he can at last get his revenge on the Circle and the Intersect. He sees the camera in his room and knows that he will be able to review all their deaths after, forever captured on film to be watched and savored.

**2****nd**** Floor, Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (10.02am, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Sarah does not know what to expect when she feels her bonds being loosened and tenses her muscles, hoping that she does not need to react quickly but knowing that it may be a possibility. The hood is subsequently removed and she blinks rapidly, trying to adjust to the light. It is then that she sees him asleep on the sofa and all her defenses fall away. Feelings of anger, fear, hopelessness all circle within her, each vying for attention. Her singular goal of never exposing Chuck to their enemies has failed. In the end, all she feels is drained. Sarah knows that she should in no way react but the toll of the past week has been tremendous. She cannot help it as tears form in her eyes and her breath hitches in her throat. She tries to tamp down on her rushing emotions and only succeeds when her nails dig into the palms of her scrapped hands. The pain centers her and she looks down, not wanting to acknowledge that Chuck is there in the room.

The Chinese gentleman who has been silently observing her turns to leave without a word, the door shutting with a click that seems to symbolize the finality of her current situation. Sarah looks around and notes the camera on the wall. She knows that her initial reaction has probably given her feelings away and she has nothing left to lose. But still she stays rooted to the spot, more out of fear for Chuck than anything else. She has sacrificed so much to prevent this from ever happening and she cannot comprehend where it had gone wrong. They would have had to go through Cole and Casey to get to Chuck and it hurts even more to know that her team might also be lost. She cannot stop the tears then as they course down her face, finally crying for Felix and the rest while recognizing that her future with Chuck has also disappeared. That all her maneuvering through every conceivable difficult terrain to get to the Circle, has been for naught.

He thinks he's still dreaming but the noise is too persistent. Chuck finally opens his eyes and is greeted by the sight of Sarah, standing before him, sobbing and he realizes that it's the sound of her cries that have awaken him. The camera light is unblinking and he's happy for small favors but knows that he still needs to tell her his plan and hopes she understands. He rises and is glad that she runs into his open arms, the force of her forward momentum causing him to tip back. He holds onto her as tight as he can and feels her reciprocate.

"I'm fine and so are you, we're going to be ok, I promise." He croons, hoping that she'll listen. He can feel her shake her head, her hands formed into tight fists, grabbing the front of his shirt. "Do you trust me?." it's a question he's never asked her as there never was a need. It was always an implied promised made to him, in every word she uttered and every action she showed. He just wants he to state it out loud so that she can understand that he's going to need that trust right now.

Sarah can feel the warmth of his body it does give her comfort but she cannot fight the fear building up in the pit of her stomach. The fear that all has truly been lost and what she has left is the short time before they come back to take him away. She is certain that it is something that she cannot, will not, allow and would fight tooth and nail to prevent from happening. She hears his question and knows he's waiting for an answer, her breath hitches and she wipes away her tears as she looks up into his eyes."Always."

It's the answer he's expecting but it does not stop him from sighing in relief. He looks at her and smiles for the first time since he opened his eyes. Regardless of time or distance, he can feel his love for her abound. "We're going to be find, I need you to help me concentrate a bit and try and access the Intersect in the next hour or so." He whispers in her ear, knowing that the camera is off but not trusting that they have still not bugged the room.

She kisses him and he understands that she's accepted and when she pulls back, he already feels the acute loss of her lips but knows that they have a lot to do over the next hour. He pulls her down on the sofa and sits cross legged facing her. She mirrors his position and he holds onto both her hands. Chuck really wants this to work, he has enough faith in his love for her to know that it will and is rewarded as he feels the onset of a Flash.

**The End**

**Next Up Chuck vs The Art of War The Nine Situations**

**Please feel free to leave inspirational words by clicking the review button ;)**


	16. Chuck vs TAOW The Nine Situations

**A/N - Thanks for all the encouraging words! I thinks it's partly story fatigue and partly the fact that I am still not the most comfortable with my writing. Anyway, two more chapters to go so here's the next chapter. I think it could do with more polish but at this point, this is the best I can come up with. **

**Hope you enjoy it and reviews are incredibly welcomed. It's really interesting to note that people expected Sarah to blow up at Chuck and initially I thought that that was the way it was going to go but when I sat down to write the story, it just happened that Chuck tends to say the right things at certain times :) **

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**XI. The Nine Situations **

**Five miles outside Baar, Zug (10.02am, 31****st**** Oct 2009)**

"Anything?" it's the eight time Casey has asked the same question as he stands over Cole and Felix, who are seated in the back of the truck trying to get a read on Sarah. They lost both signals at 9.47am and Casey does not want to think of the worst case scenario. He knows that it's actually pragmatic to do so but he cannot bring himself to even admit that the lost signals could actually signify that Agent Walker is dead. "Where was the last signal transmitting from? If we can pinpoint that, we can start the search from there."

"We can't triangulate that position, we just don't have access to a satellite." Cole's trying to remember the last co-ordinates that he saw onscreen before Sarah's transmitter blinked out. He hears Casey's frustrated growl behind him but ignores it. It's only when he hears the man barking orders over the phone, does he realize what he's trying to do.

"I don't care about current military exercises, Agent Walker and Bartowski's lives are on the line General. I need that satellite and I need it now. No Ma'am, I am not demanding anything, just pointing out that we have a situation that needs your immediate attention. Yes, Ma'am, I am well aware of my rank and right now, I don't give a flying fu..Understood Maam." Casey hangs up and writes down an IP address for Cole. "Send all the info there, you'll have a ten minute window access to a satellite in about forty five minutes. You better be ready. That's all we're going to get."

Cole does not want to know what that exchanged had caused the Colonel but if he was a betting man, would guess that Casey just kissed any future promotions goodbye. He sends the co-ordinates to the address on the paper and hopes that its enough to give them an idea of where Sarah and possibly Chuck are. For good measure, he includes the license plate and description of the car Chuck was driving.

Felix is rubbing his chest, the bruises already forming from where the bullets lodged into his vest. He's trying to wrack his brain to see if he can remember anything that had been said that would give them some indication of where Chuck and Sarah were being held but just comes up empty. "We have until 3pm. That's when Benkhofer said it will be over. If he's planning to use the toxin, it'll be then."

Casey sets his watch, knowing that it's going to be a countdown to something inevitable but hoping that it will not end in the deaths of Walker or Bartowski, at least not if he can help it.

**2****nd**** Floor, Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (10.32am, 31****st**** October 2009)**

It's really quiet in the room and eventhough his eyes are closed, he knows that Sarah is looking at him intently. he can feel her hands curl around his, the softness of her palm a belying the strength in which her tapered fingers grip his own. It centres his thoughts and allows him to access the Intersect in a way that he has only done haphazardly a few times before. This time though, he can feel the difference in not only controlling it but also focusing on the information he would like to Flash on. There is more pain though which is somethnig new. previously, the pain was akin to a low grade headache that was persistent and would concentrate on his frontal lobe. This time though, it feels like needles poking into his head from all sides.

Luckily, the first and second Flashes are relatively benign, providing him with more information of the building structure they are currently in and the full blueprint of the basement. Each room in the building is soundproofed and isolated from the others, ensuring privacy for its inhabitants except for the audio visual cameras. "There is bomb shelter in the basement, It's on a totally separate grid for air and power.". Again, the information is shared as he embraces Sarah, needing both the physical link and the cover it provides for him to whisper into her ear. Chuck knows there is a code for entrance into the shelter and needs to Flash on it next. He's already beginning to feel the onset of a pounding headache along with the needles, but he ignores the pain, concentrating only on the woman in front of him.

Sarah is trying to come to terms with what Chuck has done, realizing that he's here because she is, that he gave himself up to the Circle, for her. She can be angry at him for valuing his life so cheaply but how can she stay mad at someone who loves her so unconditionally. It's not an easy thing to accept that he would sacrifice his life for her and so she knows that she needs to ensure that it does not work out that way. Although she cannot see the way forward as yet, she has faith that Chuck can and will guide her in due course. Right now, he just needs her to Flash and therefore she smiles when he looks at her, hoping that he can see her love and trust in him, allowing him to do what he must. She feels his hand tightened around hers and sees his eyes roll up, signifying the onset of another Flash. He's never done three in quick succession and Sarah hopes that it does not have any adverse effects on his well being.

Chuck's third flash takes longer to get through, a multitude of images scroll through his mind's eye, like a Rolodex. He's concentrating on finding the code, knowing that he will not get a direct answer but instead pieces of a puzzle he would need to stitch together. The information comes faster and he feels like his head is about to explode, his upper lip feels wet and he wants to swipe at it but cannot move. It's only at the very end does he see the big picture in his mind. The serial numbers of the eight pieces of art representing the codes to the eight locked doors in the building.

Sarah's eyes widen as she sees blood trickilng out from Chuck's nose. Her hands are still tightly held in his and all she can do is to watch with growing dread as the blood gushes out, dripping down his chin and soaking his collar. It's only when he keels slightly forward and fully opens his eyes that she grabs his head and gently lays him back onto the couch. The nosebleed has stopped but the blood on his skin, is a sharp contrast to his now pale complexion. "I..think..I know..the code." he whispers as he sees her hovering above him. "We need to continue.." He tries to sit up only to have her hand gently gently push him back and he sees her shake her head, her jaw set.

"Sarah, I'm…fine." He needs to continue knowing that their lives depend on it but he can see the concern and fear reflected in her eyes. "I can do this but you have to help me." He can see that she does not want him to be hurt but he also does not want to lie to her. "It's..not that bad."

She does believe in him so that's not the problem she is faced with. It's the fact that she does not like to see him in pain knowing that she's helpless to stop it.

"You are helping" he smiles, hoping that he's said the right thing and glad to see that she nods at that statement. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, trying to force another flash, mining for more information from the Intersect.

She feels his head jerk backward and she barely catches it before it hits the back of the chair. He's shaking now and all she can do is to hold him down and pray that it will end soon. The fourth and fifth Flash are shorter in duration but just as intense as Chuck becomes privy to the workings of Sarah's ear transmitter and all at once also knows how to boost it's signal beyond the jamming devices located in the building. His eyes fly open and he tries to focus on Sarah's face, the onset of the headache already in full force. Sarah knows he needs to tell her something and she lowers herself down, his weakened voice explaining how she can use the small battery in her watch to give the ear transmitter a boost in order to signal Casey when the time comes and the frequency it needs to transmit at.

She sees him close his eyes not in rest but to prepare to flash again and she wants to stop him, "No" said in a soft voice but with a firm tone. His clear brown eyes opens and all she can see is his determination to push forward. Sarah is torn between her love for him and the need to support his decision and cannot decide which needs to take precedence right now. She stands up from the sofa and walks towards the bar to pour him a drink of water. As she hands him the glass, she's more sure of her decision although the consequences still frighten her. She had asked him to trust her so long ago that day on the beach and he had complied even though she had not giving him a good reason to do so then. Right now, that is all he has asked of her. Sarah sits down to face him again, her hand caressing his cheek, "You'll know when to stop?" His answering smile enough to appease her currently. His sixth Flash again a short one, this time familiarizing himself with the mandarin language in order to translate the calls he had overhead recently. The only significant information he can retrieve is the fact that the Circle meeting is scheduled for 3 pm.

He has the information as to where to go, what to do and when it may transpire but no context as to what's going to happen next. Chuck thinks about what he really needs to flash on next and its only when he looks again at Sarah does an idea form in his head. It's something he had theorized about the difference between the physical flashes and the FARMing flashes. The latter was pure data that he could always recollect without being over written. It was only the physical flashes that seem to fade away, like those flashes were stored in his short term memory while the other flashes were stored somewhere else. He had read about Broadbent's Filter model theory and knows that he may have the ability to retain a physical memory by repeating the Physical flash in his mind in a short span of time while linking them to a specific totem memory in his head. It's all speculation and theory based on nothing more than his own understanding of the Intersect in his brain but it's all he has to go on.

It's easier said than done, his pounding headache makes it difficult to concentrate currently and its only when Sarah once again holds onto his hands is he able to start to focus. Casey had explained that for all his combat learning, the only martial art discipline that has helped the most is Jujitsu. It's the one that he's been practicing with Casey and he knows that he could use a boost there. Chuck closes his eyes and concentrates, willing the Intersect to activate with the correct information. The binary numbers and images scrolling faster and faster through his mind, interspersed with his memory of Sarah the morning of their wedding. The seventh Flash ends but Chuck does not open his eyes, instead pushing his mind further while holding onto Sarah's hands as tight as he can. He feels the loop start again, signaling his eight Flash. The nosebleed comes back in full force and he begins to lose consciousness, however, he's glad to note that the ninth Flash starts as he collapses into Sarah's arms.

**Benkhofer's room, Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (11.02am, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Rainer has been staring at the camera knowing that at this current time, members of the Circle have been arriving punctually, each one on the hour since 7 am this morning. Only an hour has elapsed but in that time, Rainer has pictured the entire outcome of this day, knowing that it will end with the deaths of all who have wronged him and his family. He is very tempted to release a small amount of the toxin right now, knowing that just a few meters across the corridor sits the woman who had killed his last surviving bloodline. However, he is still cognizant that the Circle may stop their meeting should they find the Intersect dead. He still has the patience to wait for the four hours it will take to ensure that all the players are finally under the very roof that will double as their mausoleum.

He marvels at the Circle's folly in being so complacent with him. They had allowed him to retrieve and keep the very toxin that will cause their deaths. Such a wonderful instrument of destruction that kills in five minutes when released into the atmosphere and then disintegrates in fifteen, leaving no trace behind.

He wonders if the Intersect knows that her time is limited and that she too will die along with her companion. He thinks that seeing her body would be the most satisfying of all the deaths.

**2****nd**** Floor, Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (11.02am, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Sarah looks at the camera and can see the light blink off and on once again. She's done her best to clean up evidence of Chuck's nosebleed and has curled up around his body on the sofa trying to make it appear like they're both resting. She had done a light test on his pupils and they had reacted normally but he's still unconscious although his heart rate appears normal. All she can do now is to pray that whatever he had flashed on has not hurt him to the point of catatonia.

Chuck had shared the information from all his earlier Flashes except for the last three which has occurred in quick succession and resulted in his current state. He had Flashed nine times for her and she wonders if any of them were one time too many for him. Sarah knows they have until 3 pm to get to the room in the basement and hopes that they have time to do so. She won't leave him though if he does not regain consciousness, that she knows for a fact. She does not like but can accept Chuck's current decision to give himself over to the Circle in order to get to her. However, she's very sure that she's not going to leave him regardless from now onwards. They're in this together and that's something that will not change.

**Five miles outside Baar, Zug (11.02am, 31****st**** Oct 2009)**

The data from the satellite is slowly coming through and Felix is reviewing the fourteen buildings in the vicinity of Sarah's last known location. There are no distinguishing features that highlight any one of them as being the headquarters of a secret cabal. Cole had asked for ground photographs to also be taken and their rendition will take another few hours. In the meantime, Casey has seen fit to go over and ensure that the seven SAS elite soldiers under Cole's command all recognize Chuck and Sarah's faces. It's not that he does not trust Cole to command them but he wants to ensure for once,everything will go according to plan. Their main objective has changed from search and destroy to search and rescue. Regardless of Beckman's expectations, Casey's main objective is to ensure Walker and Bartowski's safe return. He's banking on Benkhofer to carry out his own perverted revenge before he or Cole takes him out.

"Once the location is confirmed, your main objective is infiltration and retrieval. Countdown to potential toxin release is fifteen hundred hours. Subjects need to be found before that. All encounters are to be treated as hostile. Memorize these faces." Casey hands out pictures of Sarah and Chuck. initially he had wanted to use their pictures off their badges but realized that it's become personal for him, so he chose their wedding photograph. He's not regretting his last conversation with Chuck and deep down knows that if he had to do it over, he'd say the same things. Perhaps it was always meant to go down this way, Chuck and Sarah on the inside while Casey and Cole provided vital final support. His gut feel tells him that they're both still alive and have worked out their own plan. All he really needs now is a small sign and he can take care of the rest. Casey just needs them to give him a small sign.

He sees Felix walk pass and exit the vehicle and he follows on. Cole's standing a few feet away, staring at the town in the distance. 'We've got less than three and a half hours to get to them."

Felix does not want to be the bearer of more bad news but he knows that the information needs to be shared. "Of the fourteen buildings, the smallest is about eighteen thousand square feet and the biggest over a hundred thousand. Our best best is to narrow it down to two or three buildings."

"When do we receive the pictures of the grounds?" Cole's still counting on the photographs to show something but he can see both Casey and Felix want to at least do some recon on the buildings. The issue is that they have to each take one building, leaving one person behind to man the truck which still meant five building unchecked and the fact that they'd all be split up. "Felix, you have to run co-ordination." Cole sees Casey nod ah his decision.

Casey's already barking orders to the soldiers and putting on his comms link. It's a long shot that they'd actually find the building in question but it's a damn sight better than sitting outside town doing nothing knowing that both Walker and Bartowski are probably trying their best to stay alive.

**The End **

**Next Up Chuck vs The Art of War The Attack By Fire**

**You know, I think i'm all out of ideas as to how to garner more reviews ;) I guess I should just write more chapters Agree/Disagree???**


	17. Chuck vs TAOW The Attack by Fire

**A/N** **- Firstly thanks for the reviews. I am kind of excited to finally come close to the end here and hope the ride has been fun so far. I enjoyed writing this chapter and thought that it would have been longer but surprisingly, it's relatively short comparing to the previous few. I guess the last chapter will probably (yeah, definitely :)be longer**. **Anyway, enjoy and remember to do your civic review duty ;)**

**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**XII. The Attack by Fire**

**Baar, Zug (1.27 pm, 31****st**** Oct 2009)**

Cole's regrouped with his team in a side street, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Their weapons hidden in their coats, their hands in their pockets as they lean against the building. Of the five buildings they have checked out, they can probably rule out three but it's still not good enough. He sees Casey and his team of three crossing the road and the look on the Colonel's face tells him that they're probably just as unsuccessful in narrowing down their choices to one particular building. He's distracted from that sight as Felix's steady voice filters through his comms link.

"Cole, I may have something, is Casey with you?"

"Yes. Pick us up in five?" He signals to Casey that they're being picked up. "You got anything?" he asks just in case, hoping that their luck has turned again in their favor.

"There's two possibles on our list, you?" Casey had also kept a close look out for the car Chuck had been driving but had not seen it.

"Two on ours as well. Felix thinks he's found something though. He'll be here in five." Cole looks at his watch. It's less than ninety minutes now before Benkhofer makes his move and then it'd be too late for Chuck and Sarah. Cole does not even allow himself to think of that possibility knowing that they're both tenacious enough to survive almost anything, he just needs to be there to back them up.

They stay silent until Felix pulls up and everyone climbs aboard, Cole and Casey taking the space in the cab of the truck, next to him. "What do you have?"

Felix pulls away from the curb and has to stop himself from gunning the engine as he drives, one hand holding out two pictures towards Casey. "One of the pictures shows the car Chuck was driving, parked along the street up ahead. It flanks two buildings on our list, both of which you haven't checked."

"What's the other picture?" Cole peers over Casey's shoulder at the grainy picture of the entrance of the building. He does not notice anything amiss until he looks at the bottom left hand corner. "Is that a gun in the bushes?"

"Bartowski must have ditched it. What do we know about the building?" Casey directs the question at Cole who's busy flipping through the skeleton blueprints of the various buildings.

"It's about thirty eight thousand square feet of space. Main foyer and what seems to be a reinforced meeting room on the first floor. Second floor has two corridors with a total of six rooms. Upper floor seems to be the command center, the wiring indicates everything flows through there. There's no information on the basement. "

**2****nd**** Floor, Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (1.58pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Chuck jerks awake, only to feel strong arms circling his torso and he instinctively knows not to struggle. His head feels like its been hit by a lead pipe and its not a sensation he is unfamiliar with either. However, he remembers that Sarah's with him and can feel her body next to his, stretched along the sofa. He slowly lifts his head, expecting a burst of pain but is only met with a dull ache radiating from the back of his skull. Compared to the pain he encountered before, this sensation is a walk in the park. He sees Sarah's eyes on him, wary and worried and tries to formulate a small smile knowing that it will help alleviate some of her worry. He can see fear in her eyes as well, not fear for the situation that they are in but fear for his well being.

Sarah had not fallen asleep since Chuck had blacked out knowing that she needed to be alert just in case someone entered the room. Chuck had done what he needed to do and it was now up to her to protect him going forward. Hence, all she did was to wrap her arms around him, pressing her body as close to his as possible and ensuring that when he woke up, she was the first sensation that he would encounter.

"Had a good rest?" Her expression tells him volumes more than her words and his small smile and nod is enough of a message back.

"You?" His question encompassing more than their current predicament. he sees her hesitate before answering and understands that she's trying to formulate an answer that would give him the information he is asking for.

"I rested when you fell asleep, two hours back." Sarah can feel the time slipping away but cannot bring herself to regret any time spent in Chuck's presence. She's only had a handful of days where she's woken up to see him there and she hopes that this will not be the last. She looks at him, trying to gauge if he's ready to move forward with his plan and sees him nod. They haven't discussed what to do next but he's able to innately understand that she's had time to think of the next step and that she'll make the next move.

Chuck's caught a bit by surprise when Sarah kisses him, her body pressed against his, one hand on his shoulder while the other caresses his cheek . It's not that he's not enjoying the sensation so he gives in to it and the kiss slowly escalates in passion. He feels her hand brush through his hair and rest on the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her. Now, its just instinct guiding him as he slowly sits up and wraps his hand around her. She breaks the kiss off and looks at him, a small smile gracing her face . She slowly unbuttons his shirt, kissing him each time she opens a button. All Chuck can do is to enjoy the sensation each kiss brings, his eyes closing in response. It's only when removes his shirt and climbs off him, does he open his eyes. He sees her grab a chair and place it below the camera. As she climbs up and drapes his shirt over the camera, he finally understands her plan.

Sarah notices the look of slight disappointment on Chuck's face and knows that it's mirrored on hers as well. Still, if this works, she promises herself that she will make it up to him. "I believe you owe me a welcome home present". Her words belying her actions as she moves towards the door and signals for him to follow. She does kiss him again when he stands next to her, and he gets to work on entering the various codes into the keypad, hoping one of them will open the door. He's a bit distracted as Sarah continues to moan a little and kisses the back of his neck for the benefit of any bugs in the room. It's not cold in the room even though he now just has an undershirt on but goosebumps form where her lips meet his skin. He wonders how he can concentrate with her standing so tantalizingly close but realizes that they have a job to accomplish and that when they finish it, he's not going to let her out of his sight.

The soft click of the door opening is mask by a soft sigh from Sarah. Her hand firmly in his as they walk out of the room towards the staircase at end of the corridor. Chuck had flashed on the number of cameras on the second floor and the only blind spot available to them is to make their way to the third floor and take the small service elevator to the basement. What he hasn't told Sarah as yet is that the third floor is the command center where most of the guards are probably located. All the camera feeds are channeled to that room and the only thing standing in their way would be the guards posted there. Chuck does not know how many there are and it was the main reason why he forced his last few flashes.

Despite not talking about her injuries, Chuck had noticed that Sarah was already walking stiffly, her left arm, though not in a sling, held closely to her body most times. He guides her to the alcove at the back of the staircase and explains what he wants to do next. He knows she will protest and he has to be adamant in his request.

"The main room upstairs is where the audio visual feeds end up. I'm guessing it's where all the guards will be located. I'll take them all out." He sees her eyes widen as she shakes her head at his words.

"Chuck, you're not.." He cuts her off with a kiss and Sarah has to push him back slightly to get back to the conversation. "No, you can't keep doing that to distract me." Her tone is tinged with anger although she can see that he's smiling and it confuses her more such that she hits him in the shoulder and takes a step back not wanting him to kiss her again.

He sees her frustration and confusion and he steps towards her. "The last three flashes I initiated were to ensure that I retained the ability to fight. Casey's been training me anyway and with the boost from the Intersect, I know I can do this. You're already hurt." Chuck's holding her right hand and he places it on his heart, his palm over hers and he holds her hand in place over his heart. "It's beating because of you and trust me, it will continue to do so. I'm doing this because you know I can."

It is not easy to accept such a great paradigm shift in her view of Chuck and her job. She had started out as his protector and eventually became his love. She understands what he's asking of her and what he has done to ensure that he can make the next move and she cannot deny his request on the basis of her own fear. "The minute I get my hands on a gun, you take cover." Sarah has to fully embrace the notion that Chuck is a full participant in this and that they have to play to their strengths here. He has the ability to fight and she has already seen first hand how effective he can be that night he downloaded the Intersect. Her job now is to watch his back and do as much as she can despite her injuries.

**3rd Floor, Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (2.17pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

"Let's do this." Chuck winks at Sarah.

There is just one door on the third floor with the same keypad located next to it. Sarah stands next to Chuck as he again begins to enter code after code, knowing one of them will open the door and it's on his third try that he succeeds. He looks at her, his hand on the door handle and Sarah can see some fear in his eyes.

"We'll get through this?" He phrases it as a question, her affirmative answer will be enough to provide him with the courage to open the door.

Sarah's slightly tempted to say no and to stop Chuck's entry into the room, but she really does have faith in him. "Yes." The word is reinforced with one of her special smiles. It's all Chuck really needs as he rushes through the door, noting that there are fourteen men scattered around the large room.

The man seated closest to the door starts to stand, his arm reaching for his gun, only to have Chuck bring his leg down onto his chest, incapacitating him as he pulls him out of the chair and uses his limp body as a shield. The next three guards who rush at him are likewise dispensed with with various kicks and throws. It is a sight to behold as it's so different from the first time he had acquired fighting skills. That initial time, his body had not been exposed to any physical fighting maneuvers. However, the training in the past seven months has made all the difference and Chuck's moves are fluid as he takes out one guard after another.

Sarah enters behind Chuck, noting that only the the four closest to the door are aware of their entry. She ducks as a bullet whizzes by and sees Chuck using one of the guards as a shield. It's only after he dispenses with another two does she have the chance to grab a weapon and begin firing at the other men scattered around the room. She takes aim at one of them who has his sights on Chuck and fires a kill shot without reservation and focuses on the other five. Chuck's taken out six and is fighting the seventh. Her clip's soon empty as she scrambles for another gun that had been tossed at her feet, only to be suddenly pushed to the side. her body not hitting the ground as Chuck takes the impact and holds her close to his body.

"Get down." It's Chuck's voice in her ear as she sees the bullet holes riddle the floor where she had been standing. Her hand still firmly grasping the gun she had just picked up. Chuck does not as yet notice the remaining two guards bearing down on them.

She can hear their guns cocked and only has a few seconds to decide who to take out first, the one targeting her or the one with his sights on Chuck. She shoots without hesitation, taking out the man focused on Chuck. Unfortunately, it leaves her wide open and the next shot does not come from her gun.

**Outside Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (2.17pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

"Let's do this." Casey and Cole are standing at the back of the west corner of the building, It's a narrow space between the building structure and the outcropping of the rock formation its built against, which has made any camera surveillance unnecessary. Casey had proposed that only he and Cole enter from the roof first. Their main objective to disable the monitoring equipment via the main command center thus allowing the rest of the team to infiltrate and search for Bartowski and Walker. He adjusts his harness and the gas mask he's wearing gives the thumbs up to Cole before beginning his ascend to the roof.

They reach the roof in record time, knowing that every second matters. There is only one main window to the third floor room and odds are its protected by blast proof perspex. Their only other recourse is to rappel down the side and blow a hole in the wall next to the window as the building is most definitely not blast proof. In order to reduce the sound blast, Casey places small C4 strips in a diameter of 3 feet, ensuring that the blast will be as contained as possible and allowing the both of them to swing outwards and towards the blasted area and into the room.

Casey again looks at his watch and notes that twenty minutes has already elapsed. He ignites the C4 and signals the countdown as both of them push off backwards, one after another. The wall blast inwards, sending some of the plaster down the side of the building and Cole's the first to inset himself through the hole, releasing the harness and drop rolls to the side of the room. Casey follows through a few seconds later.

It's relatively hazy through their masks and both of them are on high alert only to be greeted by bodies strewn across the floor. Cole stops Casey from removing his mask, unsure of what or who had taken the guards down, but he does so anyway.

"This one's been shot." Casey points to the one at his feet. "A few of them are just incapacitated. Perhaps we underestimated Bartowski's need to be saved. I have a feeling the score is way up for Walker and Bartowski"

"Perhaps, but Sarah and Chuck still don't have gas masks so we have twenty minutes to find them and extract them before any alarms are raised or Benkhofer releases the toxin." Cole counts fourteen armed men on the ground and can't help but feel slightly impressed. He goes to the hole in the wall and hopes that his mic is still working as he relays a message to the truck waiting below. "Felix, we're not going to have much time, and we can't afford to raise the alarm before Benkhofer makes his move. Casey and I will try and follow a trail we think Chuck may have left. Sit tight and hopefully we'll be in and out before the twenty minutes are up."

**The End**

**Wow, so Last part is entitled Chuck vs The Art of War The Use of Spies. It was definitely the title that made me realize that I should write this in 13 parts and follow the 13 chapters of Sun Tzu! I can't actually believe I'm almost done. I think I'm going to cry a little after posting the next chapter :) So review at will ...um actually review at jomarch :)  
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	18. Chuck vs TAOW The Use of Spies

**A\N** - **Hi All, welcome back to the grand finale!** **Surprisingly this chapter wasn't as difficult to write as I had initially imagined or at least it felt easier but it could just be relief that I actually finished the entire arc (yay!). Anyway, a lot of things happen and most of it is wrapped up and a few tiny pieces aren't because life's like that! Anyway, enjoy the Charah because they're my favorite parts to write. Thanks so much for sticking with this story, I have had so much fun writing this and also answering your reviews.  
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**Chuck vs The Art of War**

**XIII. The Use of Spies**

**Elevator to basement Orbis International Regional Offices, Baar, Canton of Zug (2.47pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Sarah hasn't let go of Chuck since he fired the gun. All she can remember of the moment is shooting the guard who had his sights on Chuck, knowing that she'll not be able to shoot the one aiming at her, in time. It was a simple reflex on her part and it was only when she heard the retort of the second shot, did she realize that Chuck was holding a gun and was responsible for taking out the last guard. It wasn't a kill shot as he had hit the guard in the shoulder and Sarah had to scramble up then, kick the gun out of reach before ensuring that the final guard was rendered unconscious. She checks the pockets of the guards near her, pocketing a penknife and all access cards she finds. All throughout the time, all Chuck could do was to stare at the gun in his hand. In Sarah's mind, this moment in time was inevitable and she's at least glad that she's here with Chuck when it happened. She's the one to take the lead now, taking his hand into hers, and pocketing the gun from his other hand while maintaining contact and leading him out of the room. She walks purposefully to the elevator and hits the button for the basement.

The elevator works on an old pulley system and is incredibly slow but it gives her time to finally take a breath and address the foremost thought currently in both their minds.

"We saved each other." Sarah could have said a variety of things just then. She could have thanked Chuck or asked him to focus on their current mission, knowing that time is counting down and they have to reach the shelter. However, she cannot deny the fact that they had both made independent decisions that saved their lives. Sarah never doubted the fact that they loved each other but she didn't have enough empirical proof that they would seamlessly work well in the field together because of their love. She was always afraid that any decision she made would put Chuck's life in danger and likewise, she knew Chuck was afraid of the very same thing. This outcome has finally given her proof that Chuck has fully embraced his spy persona as much as she has. His actions in the room and his decisions leading to this outcome has finally negated any residual fear in her mind. "You didn't kill anyone either." It was another unspoken fear she knew he wrestled with ever since he accepted his fate. Chuck could not take a life knowingly and he always strove to find a compromise that worked, be it carrying tranq guns or mastering precision shooting such that he could aim well enough to incapacitate but never kill.

Her words fully register in Chuck's mind and it's like he can breathe fully again. All throughout the fight upstairs, all he could think about was to ensure that none of the guards got to Sarah. He had plowed through them as quickly as his body would allow, using the jujitsu moves he had attained during his last few Flashes. He was always hyper-aware of where she was in relation to him and could see that she was just as aware of him. Chuck had marveled at the co-ordination he had seen between her and Bryce in the Buy More years ago but now understands that it was just a product of time they had spent together as partners. His connection to Sarah transcended that and it had truly resulted in them saving each other. He looks at her watch and notes they have less than ten minutes. As the door finally opens, it's Chuck who now leads the way, navigating through the corridors towards the room that will save their lives. The keypad looks a bit different but Chuck quickly cycles through the codes he had flashed on, knowing that one of them has to open the door.

**3rd Floor, Orbis International Regional Offices, ****Baar, Canton of Zug (2.49pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Casey tries to access the computer systems, hoping to activate some of the screens but he's stuck at the password input. All he can see currently are the shots of the interior and exterior of the building as they were taken over ten minutes ago. He notes that the there are seven people in the main conference room and a number of guards situated outside it on the first floor. He can see Benkhofer in another room, staring intently at the camera but still no sign of Chuck or Sarah. Cole's outside the room, seeing if there's anything else on this floor and Casey looks up when he sees Cole re-enter the room, a grim expression on his face.

"There's an elevator that's in use. Seems to be going down to the basement. It could be more guards or it could be Chuck and Sarah. Can you get the screens up and running?" Cole looks at his watch, knowing that any wrong guess now, would mean that they would not reach Chuck and Sarah in time.

"Not unless you magically have the passwords. They were here, I know it. It has to be them in the elevator." Casey notes that the majority of guards are not dead, but either beaten unconscious or shot. The four that are were probably due to Sarah but the rest were dwfinitely all Chuck. It's an educated guess on his part but he's willing to bet their lives on it. "We need to get to the basement and the elevator's our best bet." Casey's always been one to take out his frustration physically and it's no different here as he smashes his gun into the panels and monitors around him before following Cole to the elevator. He sees Cole put on the gas mask and he does the same.

**2nd Floor, Orbis International Regional Offices, ****Baar, Canton of Zug (2.52pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Benkhofer hears a click from the door and it's the soft sound that finally causes him to stop staring at the camera. He's almost sure that the sound signifies the door being unlocked but cannot comprehend how or why. His thought process though has been so focused on his one goal that this new development just reinforces his thinking that what he's been doing has been sanctioned by God. He opens the door and looks across the hall toward the partially open door and he understands that there are some things that he would like to personally handle. The death of Sarah Walker being the top of his list. He notes the time, and slowly begins to assemble his own air filter mask. It's two minutes to 3pm, when Rainer removes the cover to the air vent in the corridor and takes off his watch. He dons his mask and activates the switch at the side of his watch that will slowly release the airborne toxin stored in it, precisely when the minute hand moves towards the noon position. He finally places the watch in the vent and walks towards the staircase. He can hear the muted voices of the guards on the first floor, joking and gossiping, not realizing that in a scant few minutes, they will soon be dying. In his mind, Rainer acknowledges that the debt caused by his father's death has finally been collected. However, the Intersect is still on the loose and although the probability of her still being on premises is relatively high, Rainer knows that seeing her dead body will be the only proof he will accept. He estimates that in five minutes or so, the wave of death throughout the building will begin and he would then be able to walk the halls and relish his final triumph.

**Basement, Orbis International Regional Offices, ****Baar, Canton of Zug (2.53pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Chuck's been through so much in the past few years that he knows not to panic even though all the codes have not worked. It's only when he feels Sarah's hand on his that he looks up, eyes wide and expectant. He sees her smile at him and brandish three different card access keys. He nods and starts to key in the codes again while Sarah places the card keys next to the panel and they are finally rewarded with a soft beep indicating an unlocked door. Chuck quickly ushers Sarah into the room and firmly shuts the door knowing that they have barely made it but glad that barely still counts currently.

Sarah's busy taking apart her watch and trying to hook up her ear transmitter in order to give Casey some sort of signal. Her hands are trembling a bit but she manages to finally wrap the copper wire around the transceiver and activate the battery boosting its signal. "Casey we're in the bomb shelter in the basement". It's the only words she speaks before launching herself at Chuck.

He welcomes her into his arms and finally relaxes into the embrace. They've made it together and although its not finished, this was the point they were both trying to reach, initially separately but finally coming together. He feels Sarah's breath on his cheek and turns his face down to meet her lips.

**Elevator to basement Orbis International Regional Offices, ****Baar, Canton of Zug (2.58pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Cole's fingers are furiously tapping the side of the elevator wall, willing it to go faster but knowing that it really will not make any difference. He notes the worried expression on Casey's face and chooses not to comment knowing that his countenance mirrors the same worry. He has to rely on the fact that Sarah's a brilliant agent and that Chuck's focus on her well being is enough impetus for them to save each other. he does not want to look at his watch to note that time is quickly counting down.

Casey holds on to the two gas masks as tightly as he can and is preparing to fling them outwards as soon as the doors open. He's bet both Sarah's and Chuck's life on the fact that they're in the basement and probably have a good reason to be and he prays he's not wrong. He's accused Chuck of ignoring the mission and knows right now, he's just as guilty as Chuck has been. His current priority should have been to ensure the deaths of the Circle and then Benkhofer's demise but at this juncture, he has acknowledge that his priority and duty have diverged significantly.

**Orbis International Regional Offices, ****Baar, Canton of Zug (3.03pm 31****st**** October 2009)**

The first person to die is a guard standing at the foot of the main staircase. He does not scream or writhe about but just keels over. It does not raise much alarm until a muted shout is heard from behind the closed doors of the main meeting room. Nothing can be done as man after man falls over, sometimes where they stand and a number in mid flight as they try and run for the doors.

Rainer slowly walks down the curved staircase, noting the dead bodies piling up. He cannot hide his smile as he walks towards the closed door, picking up a discarded uzi and shooting point blank at the locked doors in front of him. He's not expecting anyone to still be alive but is pleasantly surprise as he sees Mr Chan staggering towards him only to be brought down with another hail of bullets sending him to join all the other seven dead members of the Circle. He has but one more final scene to witness and wonders where the woman and her companion would be hiding.

It's a quick walk up the stairs now, as he's re-energized for his next and final act of revenge. It's only when he notes the open door and the smell of blood and cordite does he realize that perhaps he's not the only one to cause destruction today. The destroyed equipment and dead bodies along with the hole in the wall gives him pause. Contrary to his old belief, Sarah Walker may have actually escaped. It does anger him that she may have escaped but he's always been a patient man and knows in the end, like today, he will be victorious and that Sarah Walker will die at his hands.

**Outside, Orbis International Regional Offices, ****Baar, Canton of Zug (3.07pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Sarah's voice crackles through the radio, taking Felix by surprise. He finally gives the signal to the men waiting in the truck, informing them to search the basement. There's still no word on Cole or Casey but they're armed and protected by the gas masks. He looks at his watch and knows that it's probably almost over and it would seem like the good guys had won out. Their initial plans had not always worked out but the end results has finally justified the means nonetheless. He does not want to celebrate too soon but can't help stepping out of the truck and lighting one of the cigars he found stashed under Colonel Casey's ammunition store.

Felix wonders if his next assignment would be half as exciting or perilous. He's finally beginning to feel that he's reaching the end of his career in fieldwork and should think about accepting the offer of section chief. He would definitely miss partnering Cole in the field but he also does not want to push his luck any longer. It was Sarah who had saved him in Birmingham and he knows that he's on this assignment because he wanted to pay her back but also because Cole had asked. He's definitely getting too old for this work.

It's a cool afternoon and he pulls his coat more firmly around himself with one hand while the other brings the cigar to his mouth. He does not register the figure that comes through the front doors of the building until its too late and even then, Benkhofer's features are hidden behind his air fliter mask. Still Felix valiantly tries to reach for his gun only to feel the bullets hit his body. He's never been one to give up though and finally draws the gun and shoots, his last conscious image is that of his own bullets hitting Benkhofer in the side and shoulder, bringing him to his knees, his blood spattering against the white wall of the building.

It's barely ten minutes later when Cole finally emerges from the building followed by Chuck and Sarah. He nearly slips in the big pool of blood that has collected near the entrance but it's the sight of Felix's prone body that finally gets his full attention.

**Baur au Lac ****Hotel, Zurich (8.38pm, 31****st**** October 2009)**

Chuck has not let go of Sarah since emerging from the building in Baar. It's been quite a feat considering that it did entail showering together and undressing and dressing did take some co-ordination although Sarah has not complained. They were currently sitting in Casey's room, waiting for Cole to arrive. He had spent the entire afternoon making arrangements for Felix's body as well as the thorough search of the office building. The removal of bodies were only being done under the cover of night and the official story to hit the press was an unfortunate gas leak, leaving no survivors.

Sarah had mourned for Felix earlier when she had though that Benkhofer had killed him but that had not stopped her from crying still. She had hung onto Chuck, crying into his shoulder as Cole carried Felix's body back into the truck. Casey had emerged later and started to piece together what might have happened and he was the one who had followed the blood tracks, assuming them to be Benkhofer's as his was the only body unaccounted for.

Chuck had finally identified the dead Circle members and the assumption made was that it was Benkhofer who had walked out, got into a firefight with Felix and was just as mortally wounded. The amount of blood on the ground was excessive and odds were that Benkhofer's own guards had picked up his body about a hundred yards from the building. General Beckman had already receive approval from the Bundesnachrichtendienst to join in their task force that had just been deployed to seize all assets belonging to Rainer Benkhofer and was in the process of reaching similar understandings with other governmental organizations with respect to the assets of the seven members of the Circle. Their empire both virtual and physical was currently being dismantled. Chatter from the Intelligence Community also pointed to their terrorist cells being in disarray. A number of them would go underground again but the lack of directive provided by the Ring would open them up for capture soon enough.

"So, it's really over?" Chuck's addressing the question to Casey while instinctively tightening his hand around Sarah's middle as she leans back into him. He can still picture the bruises on her body and does not like knowing that the man responsible for them has not been found even though the odds of surviving so much blood loss was minute. Chuck wishes that his question encompassed more than just the mission. He's still the Intersect and he figures that Beckman's not going to let him go easily. He's finally come to terms with being a spy but he cannot accept that they'll not always be together on missions. He knows that he won't be able to prevent her from doing what she loves but he wants to try and always be there to watch her back. It's not the life he has envisioned initially but being with her will always be enough.

"Appears so." Casey does not like loose ends and not finding Benkhofer's body was definitely classified as a loose end. "General Beckman wants to have a full briefing at twenty one hundred hours." He notices Chuck's pensive expression as well Sarah's worried one. "By all intents and purposes, this was a successful mission but it could have gone south because both of you apparently cannot work independently." The grunt punctuating the end of the sentence is a new derivative of the perennial favorite of Grunt number 49, (Jeff and Lester, the moronic twins now have competition from Walker & Bartowski). He can see Chuck starting to protest but he barrels on, as this really has to be said. "The General is going to want a report on whether this mission showed that the both of you can work independently and my assessment to her will be that you cannot."

Sarah's been looking at him warily but unlike Chuck, has given him her full attention, wanting to see how it plays out before stating her case. "You're right" she replies and sees Casey nod at her statement only to hear Chuck sputtering behind her. She has to take his hand in hers before he calms down.

"Sarah?" He uses her name as a question and she cannot help but to look up at him and smile. In the Spy world, solitary missions tended to be the norm. Her partnership with Bryce more often that not just entailed either one being a cover for the main mission which most often had to be carried out alone. The before and after parts of the mission were when their partnership came in handy, pretending to be newlyweds while smuggling stolen data across the Chinese border into Hong Kong or flying into the Bahamas as an married architect team in order to allow Sarah to infiltrate a drug smuggling operation. It would seem that Casey did not think that she could work alone any longer, knowing that she'd not be able to concentrate on her job. It was a fair assessment but it was also a gamble as there was a possibility that Beckman would still want her to be in the field which meant Chuck had to be there too. It's not the life she wants for him but if it's the one he chooses, she'll gladly accept it knowing they will be together.

"Casey thinks we can only work together and not alone anymore and he's right. You can't accept me in the field alone and I feel the same way about you." Sarah does not mind giving up her active duty, not if it meant keeping Chuck safe. However, she also knows that the way he has used the Intersect on this mission has showed that he's well on his way to being an unstoppable force both intellectually and physically although it still did not prevent him from being hurt because of his choice not to kill. He would need her to watch his back always.

"So what do we do?" Again the question is directed at Casey and Chuck sees him sigh as he takes out his gun and check's its sights and the chamber.

"It's up to Beckman to see if she'll benched the both of you or if she'll agree for dual active duty at all times. You're still the Intersect so I'm betting on the latter." Again he sees the worried expression on Sarah's face but is surprised that Chuck does not look too concerned. "You'll have to be active in the field, there will come a time where you will have to take a life." Casey cannot state it more clearly than that.

Sarah tightens her grip on Chuck's hand and waits for his response. She knows that she'll do everything in her power to prevent that from ever happening but she cannot promise that it will never get to that point. She's still banking on eventually tracking down Stephen Bartowski and getting the Intersect forever removed from Chuck. But for now, she'll have to rely on their bond with each other to get them through the next few years.

"I downloaded the Intersect because it was the right thing to do. I've also relied on you and Sarah to carry the burden of protecting me all this while. I…I won't lie and say that I accept that taking lives is part of the job because I .But, I understand that we are a team and I'll do my best to contribute in my own way." When he first got the Intersect, all he could think about was to get it out. On looking back, he had to acknowledge that without it, he would never have met Sarah or done his part to save the world a couple of times over. It wasn't the life he had envisioned when he was growing up but right now, Chuck knew that he had the skills and Sarah's belief in him to do as much with his life as he could. So, like Ellie who had chosen to do medicine, he could not turn his back on giving something back especially when it was within his ability to do so. He could serve his government on the basis that they'd allow him to do so on his and Sarah's terms.

Chuck does not need to look at Sarah to know that she agrees with him. He can tell that she's still a bit worried but it's a feeling that both of them need to get use to. He wants to discuss family with her, knowing that she'll make a great mother but knows that its not the right time or place. He needs to commit to this first and then eventually when Beckman builds the new Intersect which he knows will always be on the cards, he can find his father and work something out to have the Intersect removed.

"Colonel Casey, Agents Walker and Bartowski, let's have your report." The small screen of Casey's laptop powers on, revealing the familiar face of Beckman in her office in DC. Sarah stands and pulls Chuck towards the screen as Casey starts his report. The general's features turning more grave as time moved on despite Casey leaving out some details like Chuck disobeying a direct order or Sarah's propensity to take risks on Chuck's behalf. It's only after both Chuck and Sarah gives their own report on what had transpired when they were in the building, all the while seamlessly finishing each other's sentences, does Beckman ask a question. "Colonel Casey, am I correct in understanding that Agent Bartowski choose to give himself up to the Ring in the hopes of triggering numerous Flashes with the help of Agent Walker in order to extract her and escape unscathed?"

"Yes, General and they succeeded." Casey does not look at Sarah but knows she's tensing up, as is Chuck.

"But it was a gamble that could have gone terribly wrong and because of the outcome of this mission, your recommendation is that neither Agent can work in the field alone due to their personal relationship."That wasn't exactly what Casey had said but Beckman was not stupid and was weighing her options. She was career military after all and there were always wars to be fought at home and abroad. Right now, she finally had proof that the Intersect could force flash very useful skills under the correct circumstances. Having such a useful spy team would be a boon, not to mention the fact that she has already reaped the credit for taking down the Ring, their assets to be used to cover part of the rising national debt. She sees Casey nod at her statement and notices that both Bartowski and Walker are intently looking at her. She comes to her decision relatively easily, knowing that they're already building another Intersect and right now, they're the best team she has.

"Until further notice, I will designate that any field assignments needing the Intersect are to include both Agents Bartowski and Walker or neither. Furthermore, you can report back to Castle in a week. Agent Casey, I expect you would like to stay in Europe a bit longer to assist Agent Barker?"

"Yes, ma'am" Casey had already guessed that Cole was going to find Benkhofer, probably dead and not alive. It was only prudent that he provided backup knowing that if there was even a remote chance that Benkhofer was alive, he would eventually come after Sarah and Chuck. He had planned for over twenty years to kill the Circle and Casey did not want the both of them to have to keep looking over their shoulder. It was the least he could do to spend the next week helping Cole avenge Felix as well knowing it would be good for the both of them to see Benkhofer's dead body.

"Very well. Good Job team. See you all in a week."

Sarah's entire body is probably one big bruise but she's always had a high tolerance for pain and knows that what she really needs right now is to take Chuck back to their room and not come out for a few days. She can see that he's actually thinking the same thing as he smiles at her. She holds his gaze and smiles back, her thumb grazing the outside of his hand. He's still the Intersect and for the next few years, they seem to have committed to put their lives on the line for the benefit of their country. However, they're both still alive and together at last. This is the foremost thought in her mind although she also wants to comfort Cole and thank Casey albeit after giving them a piece of her mind for not working with Chuck initially and letting him go off alone. Although in the end, Sarah knows that it was exactly what Chuck needed to do in order for him to finally accept that he could really do anything and that she truly did view him as her partner in all things. She does not vocalize any of these thoughts but just looks into his brown eyes, and he knows.

"Just go already." Casey's voice taking on a belligerent tone. He can see that they're already beginning to have that silent conversation thing going on and can guess what they're going to do next. He just hopes that they can manage to keep the noise levels down, considering they've got the room next door.

"Um, Casey, perhaps you want to check if they can move you to another room." Chuck's not even looking at Casey as he says this as Sarah's slowly leading him towards the door. She opens it and greets Cole with a smile and a hug. At last letting go of Chuck but knowing they're always tethered to each other anyway. "We're going to our room." She tells Cole and sees him nod, his eyes not quite reflecting the small smile he gives her. "I'm so sorry." She whispers in his ear and hugs him again, this time feeling him hug her back. "We're staying for the service.", this time it's Chuck who speaks.

"Thanks." Cole nods again, knowing Felix would like to have them there. He looks at Casey as a duffel bag comes flying at him and just manages to catch it in time. "You have a suite right? Good, I'm bunking in with you." Casey does not wait for an answer as he walks out the door.

"Why?" Cole walks after him expecting an appropriate response only to turn back and see Sarah kissing Chuck as he fumbles to open their room door. "Oh, wait for me." he calls after Casey who's already in the elevator.

**Baur au Lac Hotel, Zurich (7.01am, 1****st**** November 2009)**

Sarah opens her eyes and realizes she cannot move for two main reasons. The first one is Chuck's forearm is draped across her middle, his hear tucked between the crook of her shoulder and she feels like she's finally home, completely sated and fully rested. Unfortunately, the second reason is more dire as her entire body is sore beyond all imagination. Actually there are good aches and bad. She can live with the good aches, knowing that both of them deserved their night together and she was definitely made of stronger stuff. However, she can already see the purple bruises dark against her skin and does not like the fact that Chuck will see them too. It's not that she feels he will think her ugly but more because she does not want him to feel guilt in any way although she knows that it will be his default response. Even last night was a bit of a battle of wills and it was only when she ensured that the lights stayed switched off and she initiated the snuggling did he relent. Even then, Chuck had made absolutely sure that he was the one who did most of the work and was always aware of where she was and not to press down too hard except for the kisses, all his other caresses were feather light but still she could feel the shadow imprints on her skin.

"Love you, Sarah." He murmurs into the side of her neck.

She's not sure he's awake but she cannot describe how happy she feels that even in his subconscious state, he loves her. Sarah still hasn't moved though and it's only when Chuck raises his forearm, settling it back at her side, does she turn to face him, their foreheads almost touching. His eyes are still closed and she traces his brow, content to just touch him. He looks untroubled in his sleep and she hopes that will always be the case. Chuck deserved so much more that he has been given. She knows that it's going to be up to her to ensure that he gets it, the life he always wanted and she hopes that she'll be the one to give it to him. To always be by his side and to eventually start the family she knows he wants but has never articulated.

"G'morning" He blinks in the dim light, trying to focus on Sarah's face, wanting her smile to be the first thing he sees. He's rewarded soon enough as his vision clears and all he can see is her smile and the way her eyes light up, focused solely on him. "Don't move." It's not a command but more a plea as he can guess how much pain she's in but knowing Sarah, she's just not going to say anything. He rolls out of bed, swiftly and makes his way over to the bags stored in the corner. He fishes though the side pocket for the pain pills he has stored there and gets a glass of water as he walks back towards the bed. "Here" he proffers them to her as she tries to sit up. He tries not to wince as he sees her slowly push herself into a sitting position, her t-shirt riding up, highlighting the bruises on her torso.

"I'm fine". Her voice definitely bearing more of a commanding tone but the smile at the end softening the impact. "Come back to bed, I need to get used to this, to waking up with you everyday." Again emphasizing the last word. It's more of a promise than a statement and Chuck finally understands the underlying message that Sarah is giving him. She means she's not going to leave him again, that they're going to move forward together, that he's finally beginning to live the life he's always wanted, the one he was meant to have, with Sarah by his side.

**The End**

**Now I feel a bit bereft with no more story to write but at least it's actually finished. I really do hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have writing it and the reviews have been incredibly encouraging. It would be nice to know what you thought of it overall and if it was worth the read. Thanks for reading, for those who have reviewed double thanks and for the few who have actually reviewed all the chapters, wow, you definitely have my eternal thanks :)**

**So just in case you want to review but are not sure what to write, I'll take a straw poll, Should jomarch05 do an epilogue for The End is Only The Beginning or Should jomarch05 commit to writing an AU story (yes, it's a long one) that she's been toying with? I await with bated breath for your votes :D  
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	19. Chuck vs The Venetian

**A/N – So it's really not that I have a lot of free time but more because I am a math geek so the tallied votes were 12 for an Epilogue, 18 for the AU story and 3 for a sequel. Those that voted for both got a count in both columns. Anyway, I have embarked on the AU story and hopefully can post soon. So to tide you over, I wrote the Epilogue anyway :).  
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**Ok, firstly, I don't own Chuck, secondly, this is fluff, so anyone looking for action and adventure, read no further. I did mention Vegas in the story and a few reviews did ask for a vacation for Charah so this is the best I can come up with :)****. Again, thanks to all of you who have read it and double thanks to all those who have reviewed and my eternal thanks to those few who actually took the time to review each chapter (I am amazed and humbled by your kindness)!**

**Chuck vs the Venetian**

**The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada (1.02pm, 3****rd**** November 2009)**

"Oh my God!" Ellie's voice takes on a high pitch tone as she marvels at the frescoes in the lobby. She has Devon's hand in hers as she drags him from one corner to the next trying to absorb as much of the spectacle as she can. She can't decide if the riot of colors around her is too distracting or actually appealing in a way that only Vegas can be.

"Chuck, this is amazing but isn't it expensive?" A slightly worried expression takes over from the smile on her face as she looks at her brother and his wife. Sarah's head is on his shoulder and his arms encircle her and Ellie again feels like she's intruding. They had come back a day ago looking tired but happy and it seemed like they had undergone some tribulations although she could not quite figure out what kind. Despite looking positively bedraggled and spent and the fact that Sarah seemed to be carrying some sort of injury, all Ellie can clearly see is the strong connection and love between them with every glance they share or touch that occurs. And it makes her so happy that Chuck has finally found what he had been looking for all this while and that Sarah has too.

"Actually, I'm not the one who's paying." Chuck had chosen not to tell Ellie about Morgan's windfall and just told them that they were expected in Vegas and everything would be taken care of. Even Sarah did not know of this arrangement which Chuck had made as soon as they landed. He remembered his conversation with Morgan in Germany and had called him to check if he was still in Vegas. Turns out that General Beckman had really been generous and had reserved four suites for Morgan, Anna, Lester and Jeff without knowing that Morgan and Anna would choose to stay in the same room and that Jeff could not sleep alone in a new environment. Hence, it worked our perfectly that there were two suites available for the two couples currently standing in the middle of the most opulent lobby they have ever seen in their entire lives.

"Chuck!" Morgan comes barreling out of the elevator and straight towards them. He embraces Chuck and Sarah and does not let go for a full minute and then tries to embrace Ellie only to have Awesome step in front of him, which prompts him to just go for a wave. "I'm so glad you're here. The rooms are amazing and the food's free. Jumbo shrimp, man, like every day" Morgan has a million questions on his mind but doesn't ask any of them as all in all, he's really just relieved and glad to see Chuck and Sarah alive. So much so, that he launches himself at them again for another hug.

"Ok, buddy, we're fine, it's all good." Chuck tries to extricate himself and Sarah, not wanting to draw attention to Sarah's hurt state but knowing that Morgan may be exerting a bit too much pressure with his bear hugs.

"Thanks, Morgan. It's good to see you too." Sarah's becoming so much more comfortable with public displays of affection shown by Morgan and Ellie that she actually enjoys the hug, knowing that Morgan means well. Her happy expression does not change despite the additional pressure Morgan is placing on her broken ribs.

Devon finally steps in, and asks Morgan to show them to their rooms. He had seen the extent of Sarah's injuries and knows that she is in constant pain. When Chuck had broached the Vegas trip, he has declined because of his commitments at the hospital. It was only when he noticed Sarah's demeanor and guessed as to the extent of her injuries did he realize that he would be needed. Ellie still did not know of what her brother and his wife did so she could not help with her medical skills. He had given up a few choice surgeries and was probably behind in his residency status but he could not turn his back on helping Chuck and Sarah in any way that he could considering that they were serving the country that he loved with all his heart. Besides, he's pretty amazed that Morgan scored such awesome rooms as the little bearded man leads them to the suites on the top floor. He's still not comfortable with lying to Ellie but at least she's with him and Chuck and Sarah are finally back home.

"Our entire house can fit in here! Morgan, you can't afford this, I mean we can't.." Ellie shakes her head and pulls Morgan by his sleeve. Despite his weird attachment to her, Ellie had always known that Morgan had a good heart. She saw it in the way he had comforted her brother when they lost their mom and then their dad and even when she needed a shoulder to cry on. However, this really seemed beyond excessive and knowing that he only makes ten bucks an hour makes her feel like this is all wrong.

"No, no, don't worry, I won a contest at Comic Con this year and this was one of the prizes I could pick." He winks at Chuck and Sarah, happy that he can keep their secret. Although he does not notice Awesome's surprised expression. "Anna and the guys are on the gaming floor and you can join us there or whatever. Dinner's at seven, so I'll just leave you to relax." He finally sees Ellie relent and notices that Devon's looking at him funny. However, since he has not hit on Ellie in the past ten minutes, he knows its probably just Devon being oddly awesome. Besides, he wants to find Anna and see if she's managed to win anymore money.

Devon kisses Ellie and tells her to change into her swimsuit while he helps Chuck with his luggage. He can see that she's still a bit reluctant but the view from the suite and the luxurious sheets and towels are slowly changing her mind and she squeals again as she notices the large sunken tub in the living room. Devon hurries over to Chuck's suite across the hall before she let's out another. "Dude, Morgan knows?" It's not that he feels un-special but it does seem a bit weird that for a spy, Chuck's kind of let his secret out to a few people. He wonders if Anna and Lester know it as well. It's just that he feels less awesome to know that Chuck's secret is not so secret.

"Umm, yes, but it's only because he got kidnapped and we had to rescue him." Chuck smiles at Devon's semi-indignant tone but it's Sarah's own voice that quickly wipes the smile of his face.

"Chuck, no" She understands that he's just only accepted his role as a spy and it's up to her to show him the ropes and ensures that he is protected as is his extended family. He looks at her and shrugs and although she knows he's just made her job just a little bit harder, she can't help but smile regardless. "Fine, but no more talk."

"Devon,why don't you go and take Ellie to the pool, we'll meet up on the gaming floor later." She takes the pills he hands her and is glad that he knows their secret and has taken it upon himself to be her personal physician. Without him, she doubts very much she would have been up to this trip.

"I'm sorry." Chuck apologizes as soon as Devon shuts the door but Sarah waves it off as she sheds her clothes and walks towards the bedroom. Chuck does not hesitate as he rushes after her, nearly falling over as he starts to take off his t shirt and shoes at the same time. It's unfortunate though that the large iMac in the room activates as soon as they enter, displaying General Beckman's face in full HD glory as well as her stunned expression as she notes her agents state of undress.

Sarah does not even pause as she stands there, hands on hips and a frustrated expression gracing her face. It's Chuck who backs into her, shrieks at a particularly high pitch and scrambles to put on his t shirt.

"General, we are in the middle of our vacation." Sarah's amazed that her voice is relatively pleasant although currently her thoughts are bordering on treasonous with respect to Beckman's well being.

For the first time ever, Beckman actually looks apologetic as she speaks, "I am sorry and this will be my last intrusion. We have two assignments up and I would need your input as to which you would prefer. The CIA office in Paris is down a Section Chief and I have the approval to offer it to you Agent Walker. Agent Bartowski will undertake a newly created role as Chief Information Officer for Europe and the Middle East. It's a promotion but one that is well deserved. However, should you choose not to accept it though I cannot see why, we also have a domestic situation that we could use your assistance on. A hunt for an International terrorist rumored to be the Black Russian who seems to be creating his own domestic terrorist cell for hire here on our soil. The two dossiers have been sent to your room. I will need your answer on Thursday. Have a good vacation."

In his haste to redress himself, the sleeve of his t-shirt is caught around his neck and Chuck's currently having a hard time getting it off and only manages to when he tears at its seams. He sees Sarah standing there, seemingly lost in thought as she stares at the computer monitor. "Hey" he walks up to her and encircles her in his arms as she leans back against him, "I do believe we were in the middle of something." He can tell she's smiling although he knows she's also still thinking about the offers. Even though he does not understand the hierarchy of the CIA, he can divine that Section Chief is a pretty big deal. Despite what is probably weighing heavily on her mind, Sarah turns to him and kisses him deeply. He's enjoying the sensation but just wants to do one more thing as he reluctantly pulls back "Wow, ok, don't take this the wrong way but give me a minute." He leaves her standing there as he rushes around her, unplugs the computer and puts it in the bathroom.

She's laughing as he returns, "What if we need to use the bathroom?"

"Have you seen this place, there are like 3 attached baths and four rooms, besides, I think we're going to be a bit distracted for the next few hours." This was not exactly how he pictured his honeymoon although Sarah's partially undressed state was a mainstay in all his fantasies. He figures that it's not the place that's important but the person you're with and knows Sarah feels the same. His family and friends are here and right now, his wife is giving a such a smoldering look that his almost sure something is going to catch on fire. Well to be honest, he's sure something already has.

Sarah closes the door and locks it and moves towards him finally shedding the rest of her clothes and all other thoughts leave Chuck's mind.

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"What time is it?" Chuck's voice drifts across the room towards Sarah who's standing at the windows looking out. "It's a bit after five, you can rest more if you like." She had not wanted to leave the bed initially but in the end had needed to use the bathroom and then got distracted by the myriad of thoughts running through her mind. She knows the immense opportunity Beckman has provided her in the offer of Section Chief. Not only would she be the youngest in CIA history but Chuck would also get a position that he deserves. The only problem of course would be his separation from his family. Sarah can see the impact of his parents abandonment on both Chuck and Ellie and she cannot add to that in any way.

She knows how much Chuck depends on Ellie and Morgan but she's also recognized that he's the one that holds them all together, especially the ex nerd herders. He'd do well anywhere but his innate "Chuckness" is also a derivative of his environment and its because of Ellie, Awesome, Morgan and even Jeff and Lester, that has allowed him to be who he is. There was no way that she would do anything to jeopardize that. So she knows her answer to Beckman is relatively easy. She does not regret it because her priorities have changed from her focus on being the best agent to being the best person she can be. His family has become hers and to her, that's a trade up.

"We should take the Europe assignment." He launches into his spiel knowing that the sooner they agree, the sooner they can enjoy the rest of the time together with his family. It'll be a vacation cum farewell trip but as long as they're together, he cannot regret anything. It's a simple decision for him considering that all he really has to do is to look at what Sarah had to go through for the past seven months on his behalf. Heck, she's been there for him since she first asked him to trust her and he feels that its currently his turn to do something for her.

Sarah stares at him, incomprehension on her face and eyes wide. This was definitely not how she pictured the conversation going, expecting him to choose the other option. She walks towards the bed and sits on it taking the time to gather her thoughts. It's a pretty easy to guess his train of thought since he wears his emotions so plainly on his face. He loves her and would even give up his close familial support for her. She cups his face and shakes her head. "No, we'll take the domestic assignment." She can see that he'll protest and that they're about to have their first major disagreement as a married couple and she knows of only one way to stop it. "Ok, instead of arguing about this, let's just play for it."

Sarah grew up a grifter and although Chuck knows of some of her background on account of the dinner with her father, he does not know that just before arriving in San Diego, her father and her were in Atlantic City where she had perfected her card counting technique. She's a bit rusty but it's not something one forgets. "We start with a hundred dollars and the one who reaches a thousand dollars first, wins. If I do, we stay and if you do, we take the Europe assignment."

Chuck's trying to see the flaw in her offer. They could spend the time arguing back and forth but he can see that she's as set in her decision as he is and the last time he tried to talk her out of something, she still ended up doing it anyway. With her proposal, he would stand a pretty good chance considering that he's played poker with the guys almost on a weekly basis until Sarah came into his life. He knows the game and with some luck would have a pretty good chance of winning. "Ok, but we can pick any game on the floor , right?" he knows that if all else goes wrong, he's just going to camp out at the roulette table, not bet on black and double down until he wins.

"Deal" she can't help the huge smile that graces her face and immediately his eyes narrow.

"You have a plan" he points at her accusingly, "Oh my god, you conned me." The minute the words are out, he regrets them as he sees her face fall.

She feels him take her hand and she tries to smile but the words hit a bit too close home. It's a reminder of the fact that no matter how much she tries, she really isn't normal and never has been. "Any game except blackjack." She does not look at him until she feels his hand guide her chin up and he's smiling.

"You want to win for me."

She nods at the statement and he laughs, "Well, I want to win for you so we kind of are at the same impasse. You know, if you rule out blackjack, I'll have to rule out poker because I rock at that game." His laughter is infectious and she begins to giggle. "So let's just agree on any game on the floor and we'll see who wins." He does not want her giving up anything for him and likewise he knows she would never ask him to give up anything for her either. It'll be a continuing battle for them to find the balance but he's positive that they'll be able to do so together.

**Gaming Floor, The Venetian Las Vegas, Nevada (6.08 pm 3****rd**** November 2009)**

The cacophony of sound is impressive but it does not distract Chuck as he looks around for the poker tables. He can see Sarah surveying the large room and notes that even when she's on holiday, she's trying to count all the exits and notices exactly where he has gone. He waves at her and winks as she waves back. It's only then does she move towards the blackjack tables where Morgan is currently perched, a decent sized stack of five dollar chips in front of him and Anna by his side.

"Hey Sarah, joining us?"

He's at the five dollar table and Sarah had just wanted to get this part of the bet over with and was heading for the fifty dollar table but Morgan's friendly offer and Anna's smile causes her to stop and take a seat, handing over her hundred dollar bill and receiving the twenty chips in return. She notes the two other players and gets into the rhythm of just playing each hand while counting the probability of high cards in her head. it's only after six hands does she see the probability go in her favor and she places a slightly higher bet. Morgan's talking about the dinner buffet and Anna's the one who notices and joins in, taking over Morgan's hand. The game continues for another half an hour and Sarah's up three hundred dollars though it's still a long way off. She does not want to appear rude to Morgan but really wants to win so she signals that she's out and slides off her chair. Morgan's content to stay put but Anna scrambles to follow her, as she scoops up some of the chips.

"You're counting." she whispers conspiratorially as she falls into step next to Sarah. It doesn't take much of Sarah's training to just look quizzically at Anna, hoping that she would drop the line of conversation. Sarah's not really trying to beat the house only win the bet with Chuck and as with her other winnings before, she would drop it off at the nearest charity the first chance she got.

"I have a degree from MIT and how in god's name do you think Morgan actually won most of the games this week?" Anna always wondered what Sarah's deal was. She was beautiful and smart, drove a Porsche and worked at a Yogurt shop, it was so obvious now that she had a talent to count cards and could thus support her lifestyle. "Don't worry, I won't tell Chuck if you don't tell Morgan. Us girls have to stick together. Anyway, so what do you say, should we hit the fifty dollar table?"

Sarah does not think it's a good idea to involve Anna regardless of her own ability. However, she's distracted by a cheer at a nearby poker table where she sees Devon patting Chuck on the back as he raises his arms seemingly in triumph. "Ok, Chuck and I have a bet going on to see who can reach a thousand dollars first. I can't tell you about the bet but I just have to win and I'm not going to keep the money either."

Anna looks askance at the taller woman, wondering if she's a bit crazy which would also explain her initial job at the Wienerlicious. "Well, I think Morgan's saving up for a ring and the sooner he gets there, the less time he has to chicken out."

Sarah does two things that she would never have done three years ago, she squeals and hugs Anna who happily hugs her back. "So if you win enough money, you should just ask him." She's also not familiar with giving advice that went beyond the best weapon to take to a Russian Mob take down or the best tool needed to pick difficult locks but she just feels compelled to do so currently.

"Ok, let's do this." Anna really just needed a small push. She's been waiting for Morgan for a while without even noting her own involvement in their relationship. She knows he's been ready ever since he got back and told them about the Vegas trip. He's been more attentive and focused on her and had not spent a single cent of his winnings on comic books or a car. All he needs now is a little boost and with her and Sarah's card counting abilities, she'll be able to do just that. She follows Sarah to the other table and sits down.

Chuck had kept track of Sarah ever since they arrived together, always noting her position despite her hovering at the periphery. He was surprised that she had gravitated towards the smaller ante table that Morgan was at and even more so when she had hugged Anna in the middle of the floor.

"Chuck, hey Chuck, are you in?" Devon waves his hand in front of Chuck's face. Ellie's at the spa and currently it's just him and Chuck at the tables. Right now, Chuck's on a roll , having won the last three hands. He knows a bit about the bet and how if Chuck wins, they'll move to Paris.

"Um, yeah, ok." He throws a few chips in and notes that he's up almost seven hundred dollars. He's pretty sure that he'll be able to hit the thousand dollar mark soon and wonders what it would be like to live in Paris. He's sure that Sarah would fit in anywhere and that she would thrive in the role. As for him, he's content to be where ever she is although it would be hard not to see Ellie and Morgan on a regular basis. He's sure that they'd resort to video calls but it would not be the same as driving over to the Awesomes house to have Sunday roast or having Morgan come over for a Call of Duty marathon. He looks at his cards and sees a pair of kings and wonders why luck is suddenly so on his side. "Raise fifty" he tosses more chips into the pot and looks over at Sarah.

Devon sees him looking at Sarah, "So dude, you'll finally get to travel to Europe with Sarah. We'll miss you, man." he claps Chuck on the back.

Chuck knows he can't tell Devon that they've already been to Europe and he knows that he'll definitely miss all of them. "I'll miss you too…" He trails off, again looking at Sarah suddenly understanding that she had not only said yes to him but to his extended family as well. That she considers Morgan family as much as he does and that she probably wants to stay not only because he does but because it's the first time she's had family to stay with and to call her own. The revelation, finally allowing him to understand her need to win this bet.

She's been counting the past four hands and has a feeling that the high card probability will be in their favor soon. She sees Anna smiling and figures that the younger woman is also of the same opinion. It's unfortunate that Jeff and Lester decides to join them though.

"Hey, Anna, mind if I sit, of course not. So how's the luck? Jeff's all out but I am hot tonight." Lester proudly presents three fifty dollar chips, his spoils amassed over the week he has been here.

Sarah can see that Anna's distracted and has lost count as the dealer deals another hand. She feels Jeff breathing over her shoulder and barely glances at him and instead scans the room and catches Chuck's eye. Even from the distance, she can tell that he's always kept track of where she is and likewise so has she. She knows that she would be happy wherever they end up as long as they're together although she's beginning to realize that her own preference is to stay. Despite all these thoughts and distractions, she still counting in her head and knows that she has a pretty good chance of winning the next hand only to note that Anna's lost all concentration on account of Lester's constant chatter.

Anna's down to her last hundred dollars and Sarah's up to six hundred and ninety. Luckily for her, the dealer does not open a new pack or shuffles the cards and the score is finally in her favor. She wins the next hand and banks another hundred and fifty dollars and Anna's down to her last chip and her dejected look drives Sarah's next decision. She knows that she can win this hand and thus win the overall bet with Chuck but for the first time in her life, she's also free to make a personal decision for someone that she considers family. It's been a long time since she had experienced the feeling and she revels in it now as she puts in all her money into the pot except her initial stake,and can see Anna's eyes widen in surprise. Having nothing left to lose, Anna follows suit, hoping that Sarah wins and makes the thousand dollar limit she needs.

Sarah knows that it's not an exact science but she's confident enough in knowing that there is an ace coming and that she'll bust twenty one by asking for another card leaving Anna with the ace she needs to win. She does not smile when that happens, knowing that it would send a signal to the dealer and instead ensures that she looks shocked and a bit sad at her sudden change of luck. However, she cannot help the small smile as she hears Anna's loud whoop of joy at winning the pot. Her smile widens as she sees Morgan rush up and lifts Anna up, enjoying the win and hopefully understanding that it means Anna's probably going to propose to him.

She looks at the two fifty dollar chips in her hand and wonders how much Chuck has amassed. She knows he wants her to be happy and therefore realizes it really does not matter who wins. She wants the domestic assignment not only because she knows that Chuck should be as close to his family as possible but also because she wants that as well. She looks up to see him standing before her, his brown eyes crinkling and the lopsided smile telling her that he's totally happy.

Sarah holds up the two fifty dollar chips, "Luck does not seem to be with me today" and Chuck nods at her statement and then looks at the kissing Morgan and Anna.

"They seem very happy." He can't be absolutely sure, but he has a good feeling that Anna's current state has something to do with the look of contentment on Sarah's face. He's beginning to recognize that look and finally understands that it signifies that she's finally found her place in his world.

"I don't want to go to Paris." She can't state it any clearer than that as she wraps her arms around him and feels him reciprocate.

"You didn't ask how I did." He's smiling down at her and she can see that he's about to con her as well but she does not care knowing that they're finally thinking in sync.

"Ok, so how did you do?" She cannot describe how much she loves him and wonders how she had survived so long without knowing what she had been missing. She sees him hold up a fifty dollar chip.

"You know, I'm not as good at poker as I remember. I guess we really do have to stay since you still beat me." Sarah hugs him and he can see Awesome giving him the thumbs up as Ellie joins him. He notes Jeff leering at Anna kissing Morgan while Lester looks longingly at the slot machines and it finally feels that all is right with his world.

**The End**

**Thanks for reading! What's now on my mind is the fact that there are a few stories that I could tell in this universe, although I am going to concentrate on the new AU story first. So you can also look at this as a possible Prologue to the next story if I ever find the time and inclination to continue :D.**

**Thanks so much for taking the time to review this story if you have the inclination to do so!  
**


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